Israeli settler killed 27-year-old Palestinian: officials

A Palestinian was stabbed to death on Tuesday by an Israeli settler in Salfit, a city in the occupied West Bank, said the Palestinian ministry of health.

Ali Harb, a 27-year-old from the village of Iskaka, was "stabbed directly in the heart by a settler", said the ministry said in a statement. 

Palestinian witnesses said Harb had been working his land near a Jewish settlement when a group of settlers attacked him.

An Israeli settler stabbed a 27-year-old Palestinian east of Salfit in his heart, killing him. According to witnesses, Ali Hasan Harb went to his land with other Palestinians when they heard a couple dozen settlers were in the area.

— Rania Zabaneh (@RZabaneh) June 21, 2022

The witnesses said security guards from the settlement then fired at Palestinians who were trying to reach the scene.

The Israeli police said they had received reports of an altercation between Palestinians and Israelis near the central West Bank settlement of Ariel.

"Police forces arrived at the scene, where a seriously wounded Palestinian was taken to hospital, having been apparently stabbed," the police said.

The police said the incident was being investigated, and that "the identity of the assailant is still unclear".

Three settler attacks already this weekend (initial information): yesterday evening settlers attacked a Palestinian family while in their car near Beita. The settlers smashed the car windows and sprayed pepper spray into the car. A baby was also in the car. pic.twitter.com/GYlnzgX7fL

— B'Tselem בצלם بتسيلم (@btselem) June 17, 2022

Israel seized the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967 and has illegally occupied them ever since. Since then, nearly half a million Israeli settlers have moved into colonies built on Palestinian land, that most of the international community regard as illegal.

Settlers are widely accused of committing violence against Palestinians.

Israeli authorities, including security forces and the justice system, have been criticised for turning a blind eye to settler violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli rights group B'Tselem has documented more than 600 violent incidents by Israeli settlers against Palestinians since the year 2020, including nearly 200 physical assaults.

The Gaza Strip's rulers Hamas condemned Tuesday's deadly stabbing.

The killing was "an extension of the dirty war waged by the settlers against our people" and a result of Israeli policy that permits settlers "to practise organised terrorism", said Hamas.

On Sunday, a Palestinian worker was shot dead by Israeli forces while crossing a security barrier in the West Bank.