Israeli Father of Six Killed in West Bank Shooting Before Yom Kippur
JERUSALEM, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- An Israeli man was shot and killed in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, Israeli authorities said, in an attack that unfolded shortly before Yom Kippur began and quickly drew calls for a harsh response.
The victim was identified as Netanel Shakrun, a father of six. Officials said he was shot near a spring close to the Israeli settlement of Neve Tazuf, about 12 miles north of Jerusalem. He had gone to the spring to perform a ritual immersion before the holiday began Sunday evening, according to Israeli accounts.
A Palestinian suspect was arrested at a hospital in Ramallah, Israeli officials said. They did not release additional details about the man or the circumstances of the arrest.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered security agencies to reinforce their forces, impose curfews, carry out arrests, and demolish the suspect's home. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said the suspect should face the death penalty, reflecting a long-running debate in Israel over tougher punishments for attackers.
The killing underscores the fragile security climate in the West Bank, where violence has escalated sharply since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and the ensuing war in Gaza. The United Nations says more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the Gaza war began, including 80 this year alone.
Palestinian armed groups have carried out deadly attacks on Israelis in the West Bank. U.N. figures show more than 40 Israelis have been killed in the territory over the past three years.
The shooting is likely to increase pressure on Netanyahu's government to act, while also raising fears of further reprisals and deeper Israeli-Palestinian tensions during a sensitive period of religious holidays. Analysts have warned that West Bank clashes, Israeli military raids, and reprisal attacks can quickly widen into a broader confrontation, even as international attention remains focused on Gaza.