Controversy surrounds death of 16-year-old Palestinian girl who was run over and then shot for allegedly aspiring to carry out an attack

Further violence rocked the West Bank on Sunday, with one Israeli woman succumbing to her wounds after an alleged stabbing attack and three Palestinians, including a 16-year-old girl, shot dead in seperate incidents following alleged stabbings. 

In the afternoon, Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man after he stabbed the Israeli woman, identified as Hadar Bucharis, near the Gush Etzion settlement bloc south of Bethlehem.

The woman, in her early 20s, was seriously wounded and later died at the Shaare Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem.

The Israeli army shut down the busy Route 60 after the attack, causing a large traffic jam.

Earlier, a Palestinian man was shot and killed following an alleged stabbing attack near the Israeli settlement of Kfar Adumim.

An Israeli spokesperson said the Palestinian was driving a taxi and ran into another car on the main road.

It is unclear whether the car collision was an accident or intentional, but the Israeli police spokesperson, Micky Rosenfeld, said the Palestinian "walked out of his vehicle with a knife in his hand and was shot dead".

Israeli media reported that the man, 32-year-old Shadi Hassib, was shot by a settler in the area, which was immediately cordoned off by Israeli police.

An hour before that, a 16-year-old Palestinian girl was run over and shot dead by a prominent Israeli settler at the Huwarra checkpoint outside the city of Nablus.

The teen, named as Ashraqat Qatanani, was allegedly about to carrying out a stabbing attack when Gershon Masika, a leader within the settler community, saw her and ran her over with his car, sending her flying into a ditch.

Masika, the former head of the Samaria regional council, then reportedly got out of his car and opened fire, alongside Israeli forces who also opened fire, Israeli media reported.

No Israelis were reportedly injured in the alleged attack, and with details about the incident still emerging it is not yet clear if the girl was holding a knife. 

At least 89 Palestinians, including many alleged attackers, have been killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of October. However, human rights organisations say many were shot dead in circumstances where the Israeli police and military have used unnecessary force. At least 16 Israelis have been killed in the same period.

Middle East Eye, 22 november 2015