ISRAELI FORCES SHOOT, INJURE PALESTINIAN AFTER ALLEGED STABBING ATTACK

An Israeli soldier stands guard at the Qalandiya checkpoint as thousands of Palestinians wait to cross from the West Bank to Jerusalem. (Thomas Coex/AFP/File)

Ramallah, 3 DzulQa’dah 1436/18 August 2015 (MINA) – Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian man twice in his hand after he allegedly stabbed an Israeli soldier west of Ramallah, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society told Ma’an.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an that Israeli forces shot the Palestinian on Route 443near the village of Beit Ur al-Tahta after he stabbed and lightly injured an Israeli soldier.

PRCS said an ambulance was sent to aid the Palestinian man, who is currently in Israeli custody.

Witnesses said large numbers of Israeli military vehicles arrived in the area after the shooting, Maan News Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting

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The incident took place less than a week after another Palestinian was shot dead following his alleged involvement in a stabbing attack that left an Israeli civilian lightly wounded.

Anas Muntaser Taha, 20, from the village of Qutna northwest of Jerusalem, was killed when Israeli forces opened fire “to prevent the suspect from escaping,” an Israeli army spokesperson said.

Earlier this week, Israeli media reported that the Israeli army had implemented new rules of engagement, requiring soldiers in the occupied Palestinian territory to hold their fire unless there is a genuine threat to their lives.

Previous rules allowed Israeli soldiers to use fire “warning shots” when their lives were not at imminent risk, and subsequently aim for lower extremities when engaging with Palestinians on the ground.

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An Israeli military spokesperson told Ma’an they were unable to elaborate on the changes to rules of engagement for “security reasons,” adding: “Recently the army issued a periodic review of these rules with all combat soldiers as part of routine training efforts.”

Israeli news site The Jewish Press reported that “publication of the new regulations was met with utter disgust by the troops who will be forced to carry them out.”

Since the beginning of 2015 Israeli forces have injured an average of 37 Palestinians a week, according to UN figures.

Israeli forces have killed at least 23 Palestinians since the start of the year. (T/P010/R03)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)