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Photo:
Illustrative photo. File. Published by Maan News

The alleged weapon used in Saturday's two shooting incidents (Source: Israeli Police) Published by Maan News
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RAMALLAH (Ma’an) -- Israeli forces shot and killed a 34-year-old Palestinian man during a predawn raid near the village of Nabi Salih west of Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank on Sunday, when another Palestinian, described as a "youth" by Israeli police, was also injured and detained.

Israeli police spokeswoman Luba al-Samri claimed in a statement that the slain Palestinian, identified as Ammar Ahmad Khalil, was responsible for two shooting incidents that took place in the area the previous day, and that “following reports that the Palestinian was responsible for the shooting attacks,” Israeli forces launched a campaign to detain him and headed to Nabi Salih.

Israeli media said Khalil was from Nabi Salih, but local reports from Palestinian news outlets said he was from the nearby village of Kafr Ein.

During the Israeli military raid t apprehend Khalil, he allegedly pointed his weapon at Israeli border police forces, “leading them to shoot and kill him,” al-Samri wrote. No Israeli forces were injured in the incident.

She added that another Palestinian youth from the area was detained for interrogation. Israeli news outlet Haaretz report that the detainee was lightly wounded and treated at the scene.

Al-Samri claimed that the Khalil was responible for opening fire at an Israeli-plated vehicle north of Ramallah near the illegal Israeli Ateret settlement Saturday afternoon, which resulted in the light injury of the driver, who was Palestinian. Khalil was also allegedly responsible for another shooting later in the day at an Israeli military site in Nabi Salih that caused no casualties.

The victim of Saturday's first shooting incident Nasser Nael gave a video recorded testimony to the Israeli army saying that he came under fire from a man driving a car towards him, and said that he also saw a women in the passenger's seat beside the gunman.

The Israeli prime minister's office said on Twitter on Sunday that Khalil committed the shootings with his fiancee because "their families didn't approve of their engagement."

Ofir Gendelman, the Israeli prime minister's spokesperson, also said that Khalil was a former member of the Palestinian Authority's security services.

Hours after his death, a video circulated on social media purporting to show an interview of Khalil, in which he urged the Palestinian Authority and Arab organizations to provide support for the Gaza Strip during an Israeli assault on the besieged coastal enclave. It remained unclear from the undated video to which of the three Gaza wars since 2008 his remarks referred.

Khalil was the 44th Palestinian to be killed by Israelis this year. Ten Israelis have been killed by Palestinians during the same time period.

He was also the eight Palestinian to be shot dead by Israeli forces within the span of one week. Three Palestinians citizens of Israel were killed after carrying out a deadly shooting attack inside Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Friday, while three Palestinians were shot dead during clashes that broke out during overnight raids in al-Duheisha refugee camp and Jenin refugee camp.

Rights groups have routinely condemned Israeli authorities for their use of excessive force against Palestinians, during incidents that did not warrant a violent response or in cases where alleged suspects could be subdued or detained in a nonlethal manner.
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Palestinian released after being shot and detained by Israeli forces

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Updated July 17, 2017, 5:10 pm

Israeli forces released a young Palestinian man overnight Sunday after he was shot, injured, and detained the night before during a raid in which another Palestinian man was shot dead by the Israeli army.

According to the Palestinian Committee of Prisoners' Affairs, Lufti Muhammad Khalil was shot and detained near the scene of 33-year-old Ammar Ahmad Khalil Tirawi's killing, as Israeli forces sought to apprehend Tirawi for allegedly committing two shooting incidents Saturday morning in the central occupied West Bank district of Ramallah.

One of the shootings resulted in the injury of a Palestinian man, while the second, which targeted an Israeli military post, caused no casualties.

An Israeli police spokesperson said at the time of Tirawi's killing that he had aimed a gun at Israeli forces when they arrived to apprehend him near Nabi Salih north of Ramallah, which prompted Israeli forces to return fire.

The spokesperson also said another Palestinian "youth" was detained for interrogation at the scene, but provided no other details.

According to the prisoners' committee, Khalil was released from custody after midnight on Monday, and had been treated at Israel's Hadassah Hospital for unspecified gunshot injuries. A spokesperson for the hospital could not be reached to comment on his condition.

An Israeli police spokesperson told Ma'an they had no further information regarding Khalil's interrogation, the circumstances of his arrest, or why he was released.

Unconfirmed reports said that Khalil and Tirawi were in a vehicle together when Israeli border police opened fire on them.
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Updated: Undercover Israeli Soldiers Kill A Palestinian Near Ramallah

by IMEMC News July 16, 2017 11:42 AM

Dozens of undercover Israeli soldiers killed, on Sunday at dawn, a Palestinian man in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah.

The Palestinian was later identified as Amer Ahmad Khalil Tirawi, 34; he was a married father of one child, from Kafr Ein village, northwest of Ramallah.

The Israeli army said the Palestinian was suspected of carrying out a shooting attack, a day earlier, near Um Safa Palestinian village and Ateret Israeli settlement, and of another shooting targeting a military post in the area.

According to the army, the first incident took place when Amer opened fire on a car of an Israeli colonist, near Ateret illegal settlement, and the second targeted a fortified military base, near Nabi Saleh.

Israeli Ynet News said the invasion was carried out by Police SWAT teams, Israeli soldiers and Shin Bet security officers, and claimed that the soldiers were attempting to detain him, after identifying him, and his location.

The army claims that the Palestinians was killed after he “attempted to open fire on the soldiers with his homemade weapon,” and that another Palestinian, who was with him, was taken prisoner.

Furthermore, the soldiers invaded and searched, Sunday, many homes in Hebron city, in addition to Doura, Safa and Beit Ummar towns, before abducting Arafat Za’aqeeq, the father of Omar Za’aqeeq, 19, who was killed by Israeli army fire on November 27, 2015.

The soldiers also confiscated the car of another Palestinian, in addition to holding an ambulance transporting a child to a local hospital.

In related news, several Israeli military jeeps invaded Doha city, west of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, and abducted one Palestinian.

Updated From:
Israeli Soldiers Kill A Palestinian Near Ramallah
Jul 16, 2017 @ 08:31

Israeli soldiers invaded, on Sunday at dawn, the village of Nabi Saleh, northwest of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, and killed a young Palestinian, who reportedly tried to open fire on the invading forces.

The Israeli army claims that the soldiers invaded Nabi Saleh after two incidents when live fire was used against Israeli soldiers and colonist settlers.

According to the army, the first incident took place when an armed Palestinian resistance fighter opened fire on a car of an Israeli colonist, near Ateret illegal settlement, and the second targeted a fortified military base, near Nabi Saleh.

Following the shooting, dozens of soldiers invaded Nabi Saleh to conduct arrests and searches of homes and property, before the young man reportedly “pointed his gun at the soldiers who shot him dead.”