Bethlehem/PNN /
The residents of Wadi Rahal village have refuted claims made by Israeli media regarding the circumstances of the death of Khalil Ziyada last night, insisting that he was shot by an Israeli settler known for his racist behavior and aggression towards the villagers. They rejected the Israeli army's attempt to cover up the incident by claiming that the shots were fired by Israeli soldiers.
This denial came from eyewitnesses in Wadi Rahal, located south of Bethlehem, during the funeral of the martyr from Beit Jala Hospital. The village was attacked yesterday by settler gangs, resulting in the death of Khalil Ziyada, a 40-year-old father of four. Three other citizens were injured, and vehicles and homes were damaged by the settlers.
The funeral was marked by tears of sorrow and feelings of anger as the residents of Bethlehem and Wadi Rahal bid farewell to Khalil Ziyada, who was killed late last night by settlers who attacked the village, which is surrounded by settlements and has faced continuous assaults in recent months.
The funeral was attended by the martyr's family, residents of Wadi Rahal, and the village council, along with the Governor of Bethlehem, Mohammed Taha Abu Alia, the Head of the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, Muayyad Shaaban, the Secretary of Fatah's Bethlehem branch, the coordinator of the Bethlehem Factional Coordination Committee, and representatives of the community and popular activities in Bethlehem. They emphasized that this crime is an attack on all of Bethlehem.
An eyewitness to the settler attacks in Wadi Rahal told the PNN correspondent that settlers from the nearby outpost attacked the residents, carrying out acts of vandalism and shooting live bullets at the citizens, resulting in the death of Khalil Ziyada.
Hamza Ziyada, head of the Wadi Rahal village council, stated that the Israeli narrative claiming that the army fired the shots is false, aiming to cover up the settlers' crime. He explained that the army only intervened 40 minutes after the settlers invaded the village and after the residents had been shot. He pointed out that everyone in the village knows the settler who fired the shots, and he is known to the Israeli army.
The village council head confirmed that these settler practices, supported by the right-wing government ministers, aim to pressure the residents of Wadi Rahal and surrounding villages to leave their lands. He emphasized that these Israeli policies will fail in the face of the citizens' resilience and their attachment to their land.
The residents who buried their son in the village expressed their condemnation of the occupation's attempts to exonerate the settlers from the crime of executing Khalil Ziyada after providing protection for their assaults on the village. They called on President Mahmoud Abbas and the international community to provide international protection for Palestinian villages that are subjected to the most brutal forms of settler attacks.
Majdi Ziyada, the brother of Khalil, stated that the settlers have been attacking the village in recent months and brutally assaulting the residents. He noted that the people of Wadi Rahal are appealing to President Mahmoud Abbas to provide protection from these attacks that target everything in the village. He expressed hope that the international community and all concerned parties will provide protection for the citizens to prevent further loss of life due to these assaults.
Official Palestinian sources confirmed that they hold the occupying state and the extremist right-wing ministers responsible for this crime, accusing them of disregarding international treaties and continuing to incite against the Palestinian people. They emphasized that the occupation, which protects the settlers during their attacks, is trying to shield them by claiming the army was responsible for Khalil Ziyada's death, a claim denied by the villagers.
Muhammad Taha Abu Alia, the Governor of Bethlehem, told PNN that the crime against martyr Khalil Ziyada was carried out by racist settlers. He emphasized that the spilling of Palestinian blood, whether by the army or settlers who are protected by the army, is unacceptable.
Governor Abu Alia affirmed that the testimonies of the village residents and the village council confirm that the person who executed Ziyada was an Israeli settler, well-known to the villagers. He explained that the occupation does not hide its responsibility for the crime, as the extremist Itamar Ben Gvir openly declares his support for killing Palestinians, arming and protecting settlers, and bringing them around Palestinian villages. This, Abu Alia stated, necessitates a serious and real stance from the international community to hold these extremists, particularly Ben Gvir, Smotrich, and Netanyahu, accountable. He added that it is unacceptable to remain silent on these crimes, which continue alongside the ongoing crimes of the occupation government and army against civilians in Gaza.
The funeral procession for Khalil Ziyada began at Beit Jala Governmental Hospital, heading towards the village, where he was laid to rest after the noon prayer. The family and villagers bid him farewell, and a strike and mourning were declared throughout Bethlehem in honor of his memory and in tribute to his family.
Muhammad Al-Ja’fari, coordinator of the National Action Factions in Bethlehem, told PNN that the Israeli army and settlers are responsible for the crimes committed against the Palestinian people, believing that these crimes will lead to the displacement of citizens from their land. However, the Palestinian people are steadfast in their land and country and will not abandon it, no matter what. Al-Ja’fari noted that the Factional Coordination Committee declared mourning and a strike in honor of the martyr and his family, stressing that Bethlehem is filled with sorrow and pain over the loss of this citizen, who, along with the villagers, tried to protect their children and village from Israeli brutality.
For a long time, Israeli settlements and settlers have been the primary obstacle to our people's right to an independent Palestinian state. However, these settlements and settlers have gone beyond being merely an obstacle. With the protection of their state and the support of extremist right-wing ministers, they are carrying out various types of attacks on Palestinians, believing that these assaults will displace Palestinians, especially given the world's silence on their actions.
