EU says 2022 is the deadliest year for Palestinians since 2006
Occupied Palestine (QNN)- In response to Israel’s Friday killing of a Palestinian youth at point-blank range in Huwwara town, the European Union said it was gravely concerned about Israel’s excessive use of lethal force against the Palestinians in the occupied territories.
“Gravely concerned about the increasing level of violence in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” wrote the EU Delegation to the Palestinians in a Friday tweet, noting “in the last 72 hrs alone 10 Palestinians were killed by ISF [Israeli occupation forces] in what appears to be an excessive use of lethal force.”
The EU added, “2022 is the deadliest year since 2006, with 140 Palestinians killed. According to Int’l. law, use of lethal force is strictly limited to situations in which there exists a serious & imminent threat to life & limb. Civilian casualties must be investigated & accountability ensured.”
On Friday and in the daylight, an Israeli soldier extrajudicially shot and killed a Palestinian youth, identified as 22-year-old Ammar Mefleh, at point-blank range in Huwwara town.
Video footage of the incident shared on social media showed the Israeli soldier scuffling with the Palestinian youth before pulling his gun and mercilessly firing four shots, killing him immediately and seizing his body.
Media coverage: "Israeli occupation forces abduct the body of the young Palestinian man who was shot and killed by an Israeli soldier a short while ago in Hawwara town, south of Nablus." pic.twitter.com/V3bp1OoLKb
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 2, 2022
The Palestinian was hit in the upper body and fell to the ground. Two of the shots hit him while he lay on the ground.
The brutal killing left people — some of them tried to break up the scuffle — at the scene shocked.
Local sources reported that Israeli forces present at the scene prevented residents and ambulances from providing aid to the injured youth.
DO NOT LOOK AWAY FROM THIS VIDEO. EXECUTION FROM POINT BLANK RANGE. THIS IS THE ISRAEL THAT THE WORLD DOES NOT WANT YOU TO SEE. 🤬 pic.twitter.com/ePELGkU58O
— Mohammed El-Kurd (@m7mdkurd) December 2, 2022
Eyewitnesses said that after an Israeli settler shot at the Palestinian youth from his car and wounded him, Israeli soldiers attacked the man and let the settler off. The young man then attempted to free himself from the soldier before being shot dead.
Israeli forces claimed that the youth attempted to carry out a stabbing operation, but videos show the slain youth posed no threat to the soldiers.
