JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian attempting to infiltrate a northern West Bank settlement, the Israeli military said.
Several Palestinians, some suspected of being armed, entered the Barkan settlement near Ariel early Thursday morning. Soldiers posted on night watch over the community reportedly fired warning shots in the air before shooting at the infiltrators, killing one, according to the military.
The infiltration was suspected of being for criminal and not terrorist purposes.
Soldiers have been watching the community because of numerous attempts by Palestinians to infiltrate in recent weeks, according to an Israel Defense Forces statement.
Following the killing, the area army commander contacted his Palestinian counterparts to reduce tension in the area. The army and the Palestinian Authority agreed to conduct a joint investigation into the incident, and a Palestinian representative toured the scene Thursday morning, according to the IDF.
