A Palestinian man was shot by Israeli troops at point blank range on Tuesday in his home in the occupied West Bank, according to a Palestinian rights group, which termed it an “execution.”
The Israeli army, however, said its troops shot dead the man who attacked them during an overnight operation to arrest suspected militants.
A military statement said no soldiers were injured in the raid at Al-Fara refugee camp, northeast of the city of Nablus.
“Overnight, an assailant, armed with a knife, attempted to stab soldiers on operational activity to arrest suspects,” the statement said.
“Forces called the attacker to halt and, upon his continued advance, fired toward him, resulting in his death.” It added that others in the camp hurled explosives and shot at the soldiers.
Khaled Mansour, an official in the camp, identified the dead man as Mohammed Al-Salhi, 32.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) called it an “execution,” saying the shooting occurred inside Salhi’s house in front of his mother.
In a statement the group said Israeli soldiers raided the house and one “pulled out a gun with a silencer and directly fired five bullets at Mohammed at point-blank range.”
Asked by AFP, the army denied it took place in the house but did not respond further to the PCHR allegations.
The Palestinian Prisoners Club said Salhi had been jailed by Israel between 2004 and 2007 for being a member of a banned militant group linked to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with the Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, comatose peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have helped feed the unrest.
Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a leading cause.
The Al-Fara raid came less than 48 hours after a Palestinian rammed a truck into troops visiting a Jerusalem tourist site, killing four soldiers in a stark reminder of tensions despite a recent lull in violence.
The attacker was shot dead at the scene.

Source: Arab News