Israel army says friendly fire may have killed settler during West Bank clash

An Israeli military probe published Wednesday said friendly fire may have killed an Israeli settler during a deadly West Bank clash with Palestinians last month. The violence in the Palestinian village of Tell in the occupied West Bank left four Palestinians and two Israelis dead, prompting the army to investigate the incident.

What did the Israeli military probe find about the West Bank clash?

The Israeli military said it could not conclusively determine what caused the settler's death during the West Bank clash. Investigators found he may have been killed either by Palestinian gunfire or by accidental fire from Israeli forces during efforts to stop the attacker.

The violence broke out in the northern West Bank village of Tell in late July. According to the army, around 20 settlers entered the village before the confrontation escalated into a deadly clash.

"The findings... determined that it is not possible to establish conclusively the cause of CPT (Res.) Benayahu Mellet's fatal injury," the army report said.

Mellet, a settler and an army reservist, died shortly after a Palestinian wrestled his rifle from him during the confrontation. The army said, "He may have been killed either by terrorist fire or by incidental fire during efforts to neutralize the terrorists," referring to the local Palestinians.

The second Israeli killed was Major Yuval Ezra, an active-duty soldier who was sent to break up the clashes. According to the report, "The investigation further found that MAJ Yuval Ezra charged toward the terrorist, engaged him at close range and eliminated him. MAJ Ezra fell during the confrontation."

What happened during the Tell village confrontation?

The army said the settlers entered Tell on what it described as a group hike. It added that the visit took place "without the required coordination and approval from the security authorities."

Tell mayor Walid Zidan disputed that account when speaking to AFP after the incident. "Israeli soldiers were present and together with the settlers began opening fire... It was the settlers who stormed the village, with the intention of killing, vandalizing and setting property on fire," he said.

Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank has persisted for years, often with little legal consequence. Recent months have seen a rise in such attacks.

The clash prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pledge the establishment of more Israeli settlements in the region, which are illegal under international law, along with more raids in Palestinian towns and villages suspected of hosting militants.

What is the wider context of the West Bank violence?

Tell is located near Havat Gilad, the settlement where Mellet was part of a community defense group. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.

Israeli figures show that at least 47 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations since the start of the Gaza war.

According to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry data, Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed at least 1,097 Palestinians, including militants and civilians, during the same period.