WEST BANK: Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian they were trying to arrest in the West Bank

Record ID: 564940

  • Title: WEST BANK: Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian they were trying to arrest in the West Bank
  • Date: 27th February 2014
  • Summary: BIRZEIT, WEST BANK (FEBRUARY 27, 2014) (REUTERS) ISRAELI ARMY JEEPS GATHERED OUTSIDE THE HOME OF PALESTINIAN MAN MUATAZ WASHAHA, WHO WAS KILLED BY ISRAELI FORCES AFTER HE BARRICADED HIMSELF INSIDE HIS HOUSE ISRAELI SOLDIERS OUTSIDE HOME ISRAELI ARMY TRUCK BULLDOZING HOUSE SOLDIERS KNOCKING DOWN WATER TANK ON ROOF FEMALE FAMILY MEMBERS OF MAN STANDING ON THE STREET ISRAELI SOLDIERS ENTERING HOUSE SMOKE BILLOWING FROM HOUSE PALESTINIANS RUNNING IN STREET BESIDE AMBULANCE PEOPLE CRYING AND SCREAMING AFTER FINDING BODY IN THE HOUSE WATER AND DAMAGE INSIDE THE HOUSE DOZENS OF PEOPLE CARRYING DEAD MAN INTO AMBULANCE AMBULANCE DRIVING AWAY AMID LARGE CROWD OF PEOPLE WOMEN ARGUING WITH SOLDIERS SOLDIERS ARRESTING INJURED AND BLINDFOLDED MAN WHO COLLAPSES ON THE FLOOR SOLDIERS STANDING BESIDE MAN BEING ARRESTED CAR TRYING TO DRIVE ON ROAD DURING CLASHES IN STREET SOLDIERS FIRING WEAPONS INTO STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) WITNESS, JAMIL KHALAF, SAYING: "They came at 6 in the morning and asked that the house be emptied, one of the men came out to speak to them but they threw him to the ground and started to hit him. They gave them about 2 hours from 6:00-8:00 while they were throwing tear gas canisters and demanding them to come out. About two hours later they stormed the house and I think they arrested one man from the Washaha family." FEMALE SOLDIER KICKING BURNING TYRE PALESTINIAN YOUTH THROWING ROCK AMID TEAR GAS THICK CLOUD OF SMOKE
  • Embargoed: 14th March 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVAF1VUWZBGHAU6EPVYT58XDIW5Q
  • Story Text: Israeli forces opened fire and killed a Palestinian they were seeking to arrest in the occupied West Bank on Thursday (February 27), after the man barricaded himself inside his house.
    Israeli soldiers and police surrounded the home of Muataz Washaha, 24, and called on him to turn himself in. Although his relatives came out of the house, he refused to leave.
    After a standoff the Israeli forces knocked down part of the building with a bulldozer and opened fire. Washaha's body was found shortly afterwards.
    Jamil Khalaf a resident of Birzeit and a witness said that the standoff lasted for 2 hours.

    "They came at 6 in the morning and asked that the house be emptied, one of the men came out to speak to them but they threw him to the ground and started to hit him. They gave them about 2 hours from 6:00-8:00 while they were throwing tear gas canisters and demanding them to come out. About two hours later they stormed the house and I think they arrested one man from the Washaha family," Khalaf said.
    An Israeli military statement said that Washaha had been wanted for "suspected terror activity" and that the forces, which later found an assault rifle in the house, were operating under the premise that he was armed.
    Two other suspects were arrested at the scene.
    A Reuters witness said that no shots were heard from inside the home before the Israeli forces opened fire.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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