Cousin arrested over child's murder
Palestinian sources initially reported 12-year-old Arab boy killed by settlers; now, victim's 13-year-old cousin detained in connection with murder
The cousin of a Palestinian child stabbed to death has been arrested by Palestinian police. Earlier, the Palestinian Authority and the child's family said that he was "murdered by settlers."
The Palestinian Interior Ministry claimed earlier that 12-year old Palestinian child Yazan Juhar was murdered by settlers, not far from the settlement Shilo.
The cousin, Hamza Musa Juhar, is 13-years old and Palestinian police officials suspect he made up the charges against settlers in a bid to get away with murder, literally speaking. A Palestinian investigator told Ynet officials have been questioning the boy for the past few hours in an effort to uncover the motive for the murder.
After the murder, Hamza told Ynet, “We were flying kites when all of sudden we saw four settlers from afar getting closer to us. We started to run, but as we did, I saw one settler, a tall man with a large body, stab Yazan in the neck.”
Hamza was questioned by both Palestinian and Israeli police officers, and the latter have requested the body of the murdered boy in order to perform an autopsy.
However, Israel maintained all long that the boy was killed due to a family dispute.
Settlers blamed eariler
"The Palestinian Authority holds the Israeli occupation responsible," said a the Palestinian Interior Ministry earlier. "This crime was carried out by settlers against innocent Palestinian civilians, and it is a result of inaction against settlers and no protecttion of Palestinian citizens who are under occupation, as stated under international law and especially according to the Geneva convention."
The statement also said that "the Israeli army is protecting and covering for the settlers who attack and murder Palestinians." The statement said that "the child was stabbed by one of the settlers 12 fatal times, that caused him to die on the spot, before he reached the hospital."
The child's family also denied any family disputes and say that settlers are responsible.
Palestinian sources reported Wednesday evening that Juhar and his cousin Hamza went to a stream near the West Bank village of Kfar Krayot in order to fly kites, at which point four settlers attacked them, and one stabbed the 12-year-old.
Despite the fact that the fight took place at 6:00 p.m. (11:00 a.m. EDT), the police were only notified three hours later.
