Israeli forces kill Palestinian suspect in Rabbi murder after month-long manhunt

Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian suspected of being behind the killing of a West Bank settler last month.

2 min read

06 February, 2018

Israeli soldiers launched the manhunt after a settler was stabbed [AP]

Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian suspected of being behind the killing of a West Bank settler last month, Israeli and Palestinian officials said.

Israel's Shin Bet security service said the joint operation with the military surrounded Ahmad Jarrar's home in the northern West Bank in the early hours of Tuesday. When Jarrar emerged with weapons and explosives, they shot him dead. Palestinian authorities confirmed Jarrar's death.

In January, Rabbi Raziel Shevah, 35, was killed in a drive-by shooting near his home in the unauthorised settlement outpost near the West Bank city of Nablus. Since then, the Israeli military has been conducting a large manhunt in the area of Jarrar's hometown of Jenin. Israeli forces demolished his home in a previous attempt to catch him.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu praised Tuesday’s killing and vowed that the killer of Rabbi Itamar Ben Gal, who was stabbed to death on Monday, will also be pursued.

The 29-year-old settler was attacked at a bus stop near the entrance to the West Bank settlement of Ariel. Israeli forces are carrying out a large-scale manhunt for 19-year-old Hakim Asi whom they have identified as the perpetrator.

"The security forces will catch whoever tries to attack Israeli citizens and we will deal with them to the fullest extent of the law," Netanyahu said.