Just today, a shocking act of violence in the West Bank led to the shooting death of Mohammed Khdour, a 17-year-old Palestinian-American. Demonstrators remember Khdour, who was shot through the head by Israeli forces while parked in his car last February. The situation has raised grave concerns about the potential actions of the Israeli military. They’ve made clear their intention to operate in the deep of the county, where they can protect the county’s own residents.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that the shooting was the result of a counterterrorism operation gone awry in the Palestinian village of Turmusaya. The military has claimed their troops fired shots only after feeling threatened. According to prosecutors, the trio furiously hurled rocks in the direction of the highway, creating a danger to civilian motorists. In the wake of this situation, one young man lost his life and two others were grievously wounded. According to the Palestine Red Crescent Society, the boys were shot in the abdomen. One of them was left with crippling injuries.
The Israeli military did release a grainy video that it says proves what happened. In this few-second long video, three people can be seen, and one of them appears to throw something just before the video ends. The full context of this shooting is unclear, and it has raised questions from several prominent human rights organizations and national media. In response to questions about Khdour’s case, the IDF has rebuffed responsibility and referred questions to the Israeli Security Agency, or Shin Bet. Shin Bet did not reply to CNN’s inquiries for comment.
Ramallah governor Laila Ghannam issued a statement acknowledging Khdour’s death and identifying him as a Palestinian-American. She extended her prayers for his family and highlighted the rampant violence against Palestinian people across the area. The U.S. State Department recognized Khdour on their death list and, after the fact, reported that he was a U.S. citizen. A spokesperson for the department offered condolences to the family. They pointed out that the shooting occurred on a police counterterrorism operation and further affirmed that an investigation is indeed underway.
The incident has sparked new discussions on the legality of Israel killing or arresting U.S. citizens in occupied Palestinian territory. This worrying issue has been years in the making. Critics claim that affairs usually result in non-accountability. This raises profound doubts about the legality and conduct of Israeli military operations.
In recent months, conflicts between Israeli settlers and Palestinians have grown as the level of violence has sharply risen. The IDF’s resolve to focus more on sustained operations in the West Bank is to prevent what they call terrorism. This position has led to unprecedented scrutiny regarding its effect on civilians. Immigrant communities are right to be alarmed, especially given the risk of fatal consequences like that faced by Khdour.
The local and international outcry has only grown louder with time. Oftentimes, they fight for greater accountability and transparency about when, where, and how our military conducts operations in or around populated areas. Human rights organizations have urged investigations into incidents involving civilian casualties and have pressed for measures that would protect innocent lives during military operations.
