A masked Israeli teenager who hurled stones at motorists in the central West Bank was shot by a Border Police officer after attacking him as well, a military official said on Wednesday.
The reservist policeman had spotted a group of masked suspects hurling rocks at cars that were stuck in a jam on Route 60, close to the settlement of Beit El and the illegal outpost of Oz Zion.
In response, the officer fired warning shots into the air. Moments later, the masked suspects began throwing stones at the police officer. He fired, hitting one of the suspects, the official said.
Medics reported that the suspect, 17, was in light-to-moderate condition after being shot.
Recent months have seen a significant rise in attacks by settler extremists against Palestinians in the West Bank, with troops often reluctant to intervene.
In some incidents, pro-settlement extremists have also attacked security forces that were sent to intervene in clashes with Palestinians.
A month ago, several dozen Israelis attacked IDF reserve soldiers dispatched to Kafr Malik, near Ramallah, due to fresh rioting there between Palestinians and settlers. The army said that the Israeli assailants also attempted to ram the soldiers with a car. Six suspects were detained.
Hours later, a mob of 10-20 settlers ambushed an IDF patrol about six kilometers away from the earlier incident, pelting the troops’ vehicle as it came past. The commanding officer then briefly got out of the vehicle and fired three warning shots in the air, according to army protocol, to try and stop the stone throwing.
The suspects then all fled the area. Around half an hour later, a 14-year-old Israeli boy was brought to a nearby army post with a bullet in his shoulder. The settlers who brought him to the army post refused to provide any details on the circumstances of his injury, according to the military, which probed whether one of the warning shots may have hit the youth.
In August 2023, a settler was moderately hurt after Israeli soldiers fired at a group of masked individuals who were allegedly throwing stones at Palestinian vehicles in the West Bank.
Israeli forces routinely shoot Palestinians who throw rocks at vehicles in the West Bank, saying they are endangering the lives of the motorists.