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2 Die in West Bank Violence as Jewish and Muslim Holidays Approach 2 Die in West Bank Violence as Jewish and Muslim Holidays Approach
(about 4 hours later)
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian woman early Tuesday at a checkpoint in Hebron in the West Bank. The Israeli military said the woman was shot as she attempted to stab a soldier, but a European advocate for Palestinian rights, who said he had witnessed the episode, said the woman appeared to be only trying to open her purse for inspection. RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian woman early Tuesday at a checkpoint in Hebron in the West Bank. The Israeli military said the woman had pulled out a knife, but a European advocate for Palestinian rights, who said he had witnessed the episode, said the woman appeared to be only trying to open her purse for inspection.
Separately, a Palestinian man was killed overnight by an explosion near a village near Hebron in what the Israeli military described as an accident, saying it appeared that a device the man was trying to throw had detonated prematurely. Separately, a Palestinian man was killed overnight in an explosion near a village near Hebron in what the Israeli military described as an accident, saying it appeared that a device the man was trying to throw had detonated prematurely.
The deaths occurred amid heightened tensions as the region prepared for the onset of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, and Eid al-Adha, a Muslim feast, which both start on Tuesday at sundown. After days of violence around Jerusalem that began with clashes at a contested holy site in the Old City last week, during the Jewish New Year, the Israeli authorities were out in force and shut the crossings between the West Bank, Gaza and Israel. The deaths occurred amid heightened tensions as the region prepared for Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, and Eid al-Adha, a Muslim feast, which both start on Tuesday at sundown. After days of violence around Jerusalem that began with clashes at a contested holy site in the Old City last week during the Jewish New Year, the Israeli authorities were out in force and shut the crossings between the West Bank, Gaza and Israel.
Access to the holy site, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount, was also restricted on Tuesday: Muslim men under 40 were not allowed in.Access to the holy site, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount, was also restricted on Tuesday: Muslim men under 40 were not allowed in.
The shooting of the woman in Hebron on Tuesday unfolded at an Israeli checkpoint known as “56,” which divides Israeli- and Palestinian-controlled sections of the city. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the woman, identified by Palestinian news organizations as Hadeel Hashlamon, 18, had tried to stab a soldier. The spokeswoman said the soldier then shot at the woman’s “lower extremities, and hits were confirmed.” The shooting of the woman in Hebron raised questions about whether the soldiers had overreacted to a perceived threat. Two witnesses suggested that the soldiers had overreacted to a perceived threat.
Ms. Hashlamon was taken to an Israeli hospital for medical treatment, said the spokeswoman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under military rules. The episode unfolded at an Israeli checkpoint known as 56, which divides Israeli- and Palestinian-controlled sections of the city. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the woman, Hadeel Hashlamoun, 18, was ordered to stop when the checkpoint’s metal detector went off as she went through, but did not do so. She then pulled out a knife, and soldiers fired at her legs and feet in an attempt to stop her from advancing, said the spokeswoman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under military rules. But Ms. Hashlamoun continued to head toward them, and the soldiers shot her in the abdomen, the spokeswoman said.
Shoham Ruvio, a spokeswoman for the hospital, Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, said Ms. Hashlamon had died from her injuries. Ms. Hashlamoun was taken to an Israeli hospital and died of her injuries several hours later, said Shoham Ruvio, a spokeswoman for the hospital, Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.
The European activist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because his employers do not permit him to talk to reporters, provided photographs of the episode, one of which showed a soldier pointing his weapon at Ms. Hashlamon and another that showed her lying on the ground. He said a soldier had asked Ms. Hashlamon, who was wearing a billowing black robe and a veil over her face, to open her bag for inspection. The European activist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because his employers do not permit him to talk to reporters, provided photographs of the episode, one of which showed a soldier pointing his weapon at Ms. Hashlamoun and another that showed her lying on the ground. He said a soldier had asked Ms. Hashlamoun, who was wearing a billowing black robe and a veil over her face, to open her bag for inspection.
“When she was opening at her bag, he began shouting: ‘Stop! Stop! Stop! Don’t move! Don’t move!’ ” the activist said. “She was trying to show him what was inside her bag, but the soldier shot her once, and then shot her again.”“When she was opening at her bag, he began shouting: ‘Stop! Stop! Stop! Don’t move! Don’t move!’ ” the activist said. “She was trying to show him what was inside her bag, but the soldier shot her once, and then shot her again.”
The activist said three or four other soldiers had raced to the scene and had also fired. The activist said three or four other soldiers raced to the scene and also fired.
Later, Palestinians congregated at the site, hurling rocks at soldiers, who fired tear gas in response. Another witness, Fawaz Abu Aisheh, 34, who appeared in the photographs taken by the activist, said Ms. Hashlamoun did not respond as soldiers screamed at her in Hebrew to step back. A soldier shot at her feet twice, but she did not move, he said.
Hours before, according to the military spokeswoman, Israeli forces heard an explosion as they were checking a report that a road near Hebron had been blocked by rocks. After a search, they found a body, she said. “Apparently the suspect attempted to hurl an I.E.D. and it detonated on him,” she said, referring to the abbreviation for an improvised explosive device. “She was like a nail, like she was in shock, she didn’t move,” he said. “I was shouting, ‘She doesn’t understand Hebrew!’  ”
Mr. Abu Aisheh said he opened a small gate inside the checkpoint so that she could back away from the soldiers. She did so, creating more distance between her and the soldiers.
“Even if she had a knife, she would have to leap over a barrier about a meter high to reach a soldier,” he said. “There were six or seven soldiers with heavy weapons. There was no need for that assassination.”
But then, other soldiers rushed to the scene. They fired around her feet and yelled at her to put her hands on the wall, he said.
One soldier knelt on the ground and shot Ms. Hashlamoun in the left leg, then her right, and fired six or seven bullets into her chest and stomach, Mr. Abu Aisheh said.
Palestinians later congregated at the site, hurling rocks at soldiers, who fired tear gas in response.
Hours before the episode, according to the military spokeswoman, Israeli forces heard an explosion as they were checking a report that a road near Hebron had been blocked by rocks. After a search, they found a body, she said. “Apparently the suspect attempted to hurl an I.E.D. and it detonated on him,” she said, using the abbreviation for an improvised explosive device.
Palestinian news organizations identified the dead man as Diyaa Talahmeh, 21.Palestinian news organizations identified the dead man as Diyaa Talahmeh, 21.