Description

Photo:
19-year-old Ahmad Kharoubi. Uncredited. Published by Maan News

IDF troops demolish the house an assailant in the West Bank village of Aqeb, December 21, 2016. Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit
Published by Haaretz
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BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian overnight Wednesday, after he allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at Israeli soldiers during clashes that erupted in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Kafr Aqab when Israeli troops raided the area to carry out a punitive home demolition.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health identified the slain Palestinian as 19-year-old Ahmad al-Kharroubi.

There were no injuries among Israeli forces, according to the Israeli army.
Al-Kharroubi was critically injured after being shot with live ammunition in the neck, and died shortly after his arrival to the hospital.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma'an that after suspects threw improvised explosive devices at Israeli soldiers, Israeli forces opened fire on one of the suspects, which "resulted in his death."

The clashes erupted in the wake of an Israeli army raid to partially demolish the house of Misbah Abu Sbeih who was shot dead by Israeli forces in October after carrying out a shooting attack in occupied East Jerusalem, killing one Israeli civilian and one Israeli police officer.

The Israeli Supreme Court ordered on Monday that the interior walls of the home be destroyed and its exterior entrances and windows be sealed, despite the fact that Abu Sbeih’s widow and five children -- the youngest of them 10 and the oldest 18 -- were still residing in the house.
The deadline set by the court for them to evacuate the home ended at dawn Thursday morning.

Misbah’s brother, Jaber Abu Sbeih, told Ma'an Thursday morning that the family had appealed the demolition order, particularly on the grounds that the home belonged to their father, not Misbah himself. However, the court rejected the appeal.

Israeli forces meanwhile detained Misbah's brother Taysir on Wednesday, and following the attack in October Israeli forces also detained Misbah's father, 17-year-old daughter, and two sons for several days, in addition to closing stores owned by his father for 50 days.

Abu Sbeih’s body is also still being held by Israeli authorities, as part of an Israeli government policy of withholding Palestinian bodies killed during attacks and alleged attacks predicated on the claim that their funerals provide grounds for “incitement” against the Israeli state.

Israel has meanwhile dramatically increased their policy of punitive home demolitions since 2015 in an effort to “deter” attacks carried out by Palestinian individuals, despite past recommendations by an Israeli military committee that the practice did not deter attacks.

Israeli rights group B’Tselem has condemned the practice as "court-sanctioned revenge" carried out on family members who have not committed crimes, amounting to collective punishment and a clear violation of international law.

According to Ma'an documentation, Abu Sbieh was the 232nd Palestinian to be killed by Israelis since the beginning of a wave of unrest in October 2015, while 34 Israelis have been killed by Palestinians in the more than year-long time period.

Al-Kharroubi's death marked the 245th Palestinian to be killed by Israelis since the unrest began.

The violence has mostly been characterized by small-scale attacks with knives or similar weapons, while a number of attempted and actual shooting attacks have also targeted Israelis.

However, at least 67 Palestinians have been shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes or police and army raids. Less than a week ago, Israeli forces shot in the chest and killed 19-year-old Ahmad Hazem Ata al-Rimawi in the Ramallah-area village of Beit Rima during clashes.

Days earlier, a funeral had been held in the southern occupied West Bank Hebron-area village of Beit Ummar, after Israeli authorities returned the body of 15-year-old Khalid Bahr, shot and killed by Israeli forces on Oct. 20 in the village, when Israeli authorities claimed Khalid was throwing rocks at soldiers.

An internal Israeli army investigation later revealed that the lives of Israeli soldiers were not at risk when the 15-year-old boy was killed.

Rights groups have routinely condemned Israeli authorities for their use of excessive force against Palestinians, including minors, during incidents that did not warrant a violent response.
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Palestinian Killed in West Bank Clashes With Israeli Troops

Israeli army says Ahmed al-Harubi, 19, hurled an explosive device at forces demolishing the home of an assailant who killed two Israelis in October shooting attack.

by Jack Khoury and Gili Cohen for Haaretz

A 19-year-old Palestinian man was killed overnight on Thursday during clashes with the Israeli army in the West Bank village of Aqeb, near Ramallah.

The clashes broke out during the demolition of the house of a Palestinian assailant who carried out an attack near the police national headquarters in Jerusalem in October. Troops were fired at and explosive devices were hurled at them while they were demolishing Masabah Abu Sabiha’s home, the military said. No soldiers were hurt.

The Palestinian who was shot, Ahmed al-Harubi, was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. The army said the young man hurled an explosive device at the forces.

Border Police and Civil Administration personnel were also present at the home demolition.

In October, Abu Sabiha shot and killed Jerusalem resident Levana Malihi, 60, who was standing at the Ammunition Hill light rail stop, and police officer Yossi Kirma, 30, who searched for the assailant nearby. Three others were moderately wounded in the incident and another three were lightly wounded. The 39-year-old assailant was shot and killed.

On Sunday, the Palestinian Health Ministry announced that a 19-year-old Palestinian was killed by IDF gunfire in the village of Beit Rima, northwest of Ramallah. The IDF is looking into a report that the Palestinian was killed during clashes that took place in the village.