Israeli police arrested a 16-year-old Israeli teenager from the Avigayil settlement after he was accused of attacking a 61-year-old Palestinian man in the West Bank with a metal pipe. The victim is disabled in one leg due to being shot by settlers last year. Another teenager was also detained for allegedly filming the incident.
Israeli police arrested a 16-year-old Israeli boy from the Avigayil settlement in the occupied West Bank after he was accused of assaulting a 61-year-old Palestinian man in front of his home in the village of Khirbet al-Raqqaz in southern West Bank.
A released video shows the Palestinian man suffering bruises and pain. The victim is Saeed Muhammad Ibrahim Rabah, who lost a leg after being shot by settlers in April 2025.
Rabah said the incident occurred on the afternoon of Saturday, 22 Aug, when two settlers drove a tractor to his family's home and began moving rocks they had placed at the entrance. When he approached to ask what was happening, one of them struck his back with a metal pipe.
Rabah said the violence aimed to pressure Palestinian families to leave the area. He insisted he would not abandon his home, saying the land is their home and territory, and they must protect it.
Police also detained a 17-year-old Israeli teen from Jerusalem, accused of standing near the incident and recording the assault on his phone. Authorities said the 16-year-old was held overnight and a court detention order will be requested, while the 17-year-old was released to house arrest during the investigation.
Police seized a Ranger ATV shown in the video, stating both teens drove without licenses. Such vehicles are supplied by Israel’s Settlement Affairs Ministry for agricultural use in unofficial settlements in the West Bank.
Rabah was previously shot in the leg by settlers in April 2025 during a confrontation on his land, requiring amputation surgery. In December last year, Israeli soldiers were filmed pushing him down, confiscating his crutches, and detaining him. Rabah said he was held for hours, handcuffed and blindfolded. The Israeli military said at the time they used "reasonable" force due to his violent behavior toward security vehicles at Avigayil settlement.
The latest incident occurs amid rising violence in the West Bank. Palestinian officials report at least 87 Palestinians killed in nearly 1,500 attacks involving settlers and Israeli soldiers since early 2026, while three Israelis have died in Palestinian attacks this year.
Israeli human rights groups say the surge in violence coincides with government approval of new settlements and expansion of unauthorized settler areas, which authorities allow to continue.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army said it is tracking suspects involved in stabbing a 24-year-old Israeli man in al-Auja, east of the West Bank. Emergency services said the injured man was hospitalized with moderate injuries.
These events reflect the ongoing tension and violence in the West Bank, where Palestinians face attacks from settlers and Israeli security operations. The expansion of Israeli settlements remains a key factor fueling conflict in the area.
. The Times of Israel/ ASSOCIATED PRESS