Today, Nabil Ibrahim Abdul Majid of Al-Jab’a village (northwest of Beit Ommar) and another man were herding their sheep in land near the Bat ‘Ayn settlement, which is situated between Al-Jab’a and Saffa/Beit Ommar. They were approached by a settler “security officer”, a private Israeli resident of the settlement who is armed and supported by the Israeli government. The settlers insisted the shepherds were on settlement land and must leave. When the shepherds refused, clearly on Al-Jab’a agricultural land, one of the “Security officers” pulled out a handgun and shot Nabil in the shoulder. Israeli civilian police and military arrived shortly after the shooting and took Nabil, said witnesses.

The Israeli military confirmed there was a “confrontation” and that the settler guard shot a Palestinian. They said they were investigating, though the settler was not arrested.

This comes one week after settlers from Bat ‘Ayn shot at residents of Saffa, on the other side of the settlement, though no one in that incident was injured.

The Palestine Solidarity Project, along with Israeli activists, still plans to accompany farmers from Beit Ommar as they replant trees in an area that was destroyed by Bat ‘Ayn settlers and will not be deterred.