Violence in the West Bank
Palestinian arrested after killing 14-year-old
April 22, 2024, 4:58 p.m
The disappearance of an Israeli shepherd boy follows a wave of violence in the occupied West Bank. A week and a half after the teenager’s body was found, the Israeli army announced the arrest of a suspect. During interrogation he is said to have admitted involvement.
Ten days after the alleged killing of an Israeli shepherd boy in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli army says it has arrested a suspect. In connection with the “murder” of 14-year-old Benjamin Achimeir in mid-April, soldiers arrested a resident of the village of Douma near Ramallah during a nighttime raid, the Israeli army said.
The suspect is a 21-year-old Palestinian. During his first interrogation, he stated that he had been involved in the crime near the Malachei Hashalom farm, the army statement continued.
Achimeir left a farm near the settlement of Malachei Hashalom on April 11 to look after sheep. Shortly afterwards he was reported missing. After his disappearance, the army and the police searched for the boy with a large contingent and set up roadblocks. Hundreds of civilians, including many Jewish settlers, joined the search.
Attacks on Palestinian village
According to the army, the teenager was found dead a day later near a Palestinian village in the Ramallah region. His body showed signs of violence, and the army declared that the 14-year-old had been “murdered.”
The discovery of the teenager’s body sparked attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages and led to violent clashes in the village of Al-Mughajir. According to the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), one person was killed and numerous others were injured in the clashes.
As a result of the war between Israel and the radical Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip, violence in the West Bank has also increased since October. At least 486 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army or Israeli settlers since then, according to official Palestinian figures. According to OCHA, nine Israelis were killed in the West Bank during the same period, including five members of the security forces. The West Bank has been occupied by Israel since 1967.