Palestinians claim Arab victim of Gush Etzion shooting as "martyred by Israel"

Shadi Arafeh

The attack as described by the Jerusalem Post:

Ezra Schwartz, an 18-year old American on a gap year in Israel was among three victims of a terror attack late Thursday afternoon at the Gush Etzion junction in the West Bank. Seven others were lightly wounded in the attack.

He was in a van with five others friends from the Beit Shemesh yeshiva where he studied. They had been in the area to distribute food to soldiers stationed in the region.

A Palestinian who drove from the direction of the Kfar Etzion junction, machined gunned the cars, with an automatic rifle, before hitting a vehicle. Security forces surrounded the terrorist and arrested him.

Magen David Adom paramedics pronounced Schwartz dead at the scene. His five friends were evacuated to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, three were treated for light injuries and two for shock. They were all released.

A second victim from the attack, Palestinian Shadi Arafeh, 24, of Hebron, was also pronounced dead at the scene.

Yaakov Don, 51, a teacher and father of four who lived in the nearby Alon Shvut settlement was evacuated to Hadassah Medical Center in serious condition and was pronounced dead upon his arrival at the hospital.

The official Palestinian Wafa "news" agency writes:

The [Health] Ministry said in a press release that the occupation forces have killed Shadi Zuhdi Arafa, 26, from Hebron, near the settlement of Gush Etzion built south of Bethlehem, while the young martyr Mahmoud Said Alian, 22, died from injuries sustained about 10 days ago, during clashes with Israeli occupation forces in the city of al-Bireh.

Yes, they are claiming that Israelis, and not one of their heroes,  killed Arafeh. (And the murderer is regarded as a hero.)

Martyr inflation. Arabs kill Arabs and both the killer and victim are heroes.

What about this other poor innocent person who succumbed to his wounds, Mahmoud Alian?

Here's a collage of photos of this peaceful young man, who was also a member of Fatah:

He was probably picking flowers when he was shot.

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