Settler shoots at Palestinians using Israeli soldier’s weapon, footage shows

Occupied Palestine (QNN)- A settler, armed with a weapon of an Israeli soldier, shot at Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, after arriving at the scene in a military jeep, a human rights group video shows.

In the video footage published by B’Tselem, the Palestinians are seen telling the occupation forces at the scene that a settler shot in their direction.

Watch | A colonial Israeli settler shoots at Palestinians using a soldier's gun in al-Tuwani village, south of the occupied West Bank. The incident took place on June 26, 2021. pic.twitter.com/XMvwvzrosl

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) August 2, 2021

Palestinians who were at the scene told Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the soldier gave the settler the weapon, while the Israeli military claims the settler “took the weapon from the soldier and shot in the air.”

The incident took place on June 26 in the village of al-Tuwani which was one in a series of violent incidents that day, including rock throwing, vandalism of trees and the burning of a Palestinian building.

“The soldier gave him his M-16 and stood with the occupation forces jeep really close to him, 5 to 10 meters from there,” said a resident of al-Tuwani, who stood on the roof of his home during the incident.

“With me there were 10 children on the roof and all of us shook, he didn’t fire in the air, he shot toward us,” he said.

Another eyewitness, who was on the same roof, also said he saw the soldier give his gun to the settler.

“I was waiting for a bullet to hit me, he really aimed in our direction,” said another Palestinians, who filmed the incident.

According to Palestinian residents of that area, this was not the first time they have seen this settler near al-Tuwani, Haaretz reported.

The footage also shows Israeli forces at the scene as settlers vandalize trees. Later, a soldier was documented asking for backup.

Later, Israel’s Occupation Defense Forces Spokesperson’s Unit claimed that “a violent incident developed between settlers and Palestinians,” which included “mutual rock throwing and [Palestinians] shooting fireworks at settlers. An IDF soldier collected in a military vehicle a resident who asked to direct him, and when they reached the site rocks were thrown at the vehicle. In response, the resident took the gun from the soldier and fired in the air. There were no injuries. In light of the severity of the incident, the soldier was summoned for an immediate investigation and clarification by the brigade commander, and the regulations were clarified.”