RAMALLAH: The body of 18-year-old Bedouin from the West Bank village of Aqraba in the Jordan Rift Valley was found early yesterday near the Jewish settlement of Gitit with gunshot wounds, Palestinian and Israeli sources said.
Palestinian sources said that the youth, Yahya Ata Bani Minia, who works as a shepherd, was shot dead by occupiers. According to an official source in the Palestinian government, two teenagers spotted a white car belonging to settlers chasing the young man and later heard gunshots.
Ghassan Daghlas, responsible for the local authorities in the Nablus area, said the shepherd was “executed” and shot more than 20 times point blank.
“A white vehicle belonging to settlers, which began chasing the boy, and when they reached him they fired at him point blank.”
Palestinians living in the Nablus area said the killing was part of a wave of harassments by settlers, noting that another shepherd from the village was killed two years ago. Aqraba Council Head Rashid Fahmi said that he was not surprised by the discovery of the body. “The settlers harass and hurt not only shepherds, but only farmers and property and all the residents,” he said.
According to the council head, the previous slain shepherd was found with a knife in his heart. “They killed him with a knife, but we also discovered that his hands and legs were broken. Even his teeth were broken. As far as I know, the entire case was closed and there was no investigation into the incident.”
Israeli security sources said that the body was transferred to the Israeli Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine. The Israeli police found it difficult to determine when the youth was shot, saying it was possible he was not killed in the same place where his body was recovered, as no gunshot signs or bullet cartridges were found in the area. The investigation is currently focusing on the intelligence level, and the police plan to collect evidence from Bedouins living in the area.
A rightist settlers’ organization, Homesh First, responded cynically to the Palestinian claims. “There’s no doubt that all settlers are responsible for the murder in the Valley. There is also no doubt that all settlers planted the pipe bomb which exploded on (Israeli) Prof. Sternhell’s front door.”
“We will also take responsibility for all the Christian children who disappeared last Passover. There is no need to believe every ridiculous accusation of the Palestinians,” the organization said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak yesterday urged cabinet ministers to adopt a tougher stance on punishing West Bank occupiers over violent acts against Palestinians. Speaking at the weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Barak cited the unruly behavior of settlers who he said tended to take the law into their own hands, causing damage to Palestinian property.
The defense minister also stressed that settler attacks on Israel Police officers and Israel soldiers stationed near settlements presented a danger to Israeli public service. He said that of late, Israeli officers have arrested a number of settler youth charged with disturbing peace. Although the incidents have been recorded, Barak said, the offenders have rarely been brought to court or tried for their actions. Those who are brought before legal authorities are discussed with light penalties, Barak added.
Reiterating his assertion from last week’s cabinet meeting, the defense minister said that the government must create an environment in which legal authorities work together to put offenders behind bars.
He added that he has raised the issue of late with Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, and asked of him to ensure that punishment be enforced accordingly in West Bank settlements.
