A Palestinian home was to be demolished, so Israeli troops entered the village to issue a warning.
A group of men and adolescents can be seen hurling rocks and then retreating as two gunshots are heard.
Raed al-Naasan, mortally wounded, collapses as he rounds a corner, blood streaming into his shirt.
He was slain on Tuesday, one of four Palestinians shot dead by Israeli troops following clashes in different West Bank villages on that day.
At a time when violence in the region has reached levels unseen in years, the video of his execution is shedding new light on Israel’s use of lethal force.
In the hours following his murder, the army stated that soldiers used live ammo in response to a suspect “saw throwing Molotov cocktails” at them.
However, video footage and eyewitness accounts indicate that this was not the situation when he was struck.
More than 140 Palestinians have been slain in the West Bank this year, the vast majority by Israeli forces. There are both civilians and militants among the deceased. In the meantime, a series of Palestinian attacks against Israelis and militant firing at forces conducting arrest operations have resulted in the deaths of over thirty individuals, including civilians and servicemen.
This Monday, Tor Wennesland, the United Nations envoy to the region, warned that the crisis and military occupation were “again reaching a boiling point.
Activists from the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem are currently investigating Mr. Naasan’s killing, claiming that a significant proportion of protester deaths this year constitute “excessive use of force.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that it had taken action to stop “violent protesters” and that the incident is currently being “investigated.”
Tuesday, troops invaded the village of al-Mughayyir to serve demolition orders against “illegal building” – this occurs when Israeli authorities seek to demolish Palestinian homes built without permits, notwithstanding the impossibility of obtaining them.
Mr. Naasan, age 21, was fatally shot when a group of approximately twenty young men and adolescents assembled and threw stones at the jeeps and soldiers.
Under international law, the use of guns by security forces against civilians is a measure of last resort and may only be employed to prevent “imminent death or serious injury.”
The gang, including Mr. Naasan, appears to have picked up stones from the street and thrown them at troops. Nobody is observed tossing gasoline bombs. Mr. Naasan then appears to be holding stones in front of his family home when two gunshots are heard. The second shot is believed to be the fatal wounding shot.
Mujahid Abu Aliya, a paramedic, went to his aid at the site.
“I was present when no one launched a Molotov cocktail… When I lifted him, he was crying, “I’m going to die!” “he shouted.
Fatma, the mother of Mr. Naasan, told how she went after him moments later in a frantic attempt to assist.
“[The army] are the ones who attacked us,” she told shortly after her son’s funeral. “They came near the house during the confrontations, and the youth joined.”
Raghd Jehad, a further eyewitness, stated, “When they began firing live ammo, all the men scattered except for him; he remained standing.”
“They have raided the village for the past week. This is a profession, and they come as they please “he added.
Mr. Naasan had recently completed his studies and was undergoing training as an officer in the Palestinian Authority security services, a group backed by the international community that conducts internal law enforcement in portions of the West Bank.
In a statement, the Israeli Defense Forces stated: “The video depicts only a small section of the occurrence. IDF troops faced aggressive protesters, including the deceased.”
“The man threw a Molotov cocktail at the forces, which responded by opening fire. The event’s circumstances are being investigated.”
Al-Mughayyir has been the site of conflicts with Israeli troops for years. It is close to some of the most ideologically-driven Israeli settlements in the West Bank, from which factions have attempted to establish outposts near the community.
Under international law, settlements are considered illegal, and most outposts are also outlawed under Israeli law.
Residents of Al-Mughayyir expressed concern that the situation would worsen.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, a supporter of settlements and a proponent of shooting stone-throwing Palestinians, is expected to be Israel’s future national security minister. He also wants Israeli soldiers to be immune from prosecution in incidents involving the killing of Palestinians.
Dror Sadot of the human rights organization B’Tselem identified 2022 as an “extreme year” for Palestinian deaths.
She stated, “There are several instances of Palestinian protests involving the use of rocks, stones, and sometimes other tactics, and Israel’s army almost always employs disproportionate force.”
The IDF consistently denies this, stating that it conducts internal inquiries into Palestinian casualties. Human rights groups, meanwhile, have branded such investigations as “whitewashing.”
In this week’s escalating violence, an Israeli soldier was critically injured when a Palestinian man crashed his car into her near a West Bank settlement; he was later shot dead. Two Israelis were killed last week in a double bombing in Jerusalem, and Israeli forces are still seeking suspects.
Since the spring, Israel has conducted near-nightly search and arrest raids in the West Bank, and it has stated that it will continue these operations to avoid the possibility of further assaults.
