JERUSALEM, May 19, 2017 (WAFA) The United Nations (UN) Thursday condemned the killing of a Palestinian and injuring of another by an Israeli settler near Huwwara, south of Nablus.

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov condemned the killing of 23-year-old Mutaz Bani Shamsa and injuring of AP photojournalist Majdi Eshtayya during a solidarity march in Huwwara village, south of Nablus, in the northern West Bank.

“I condemn today’s reported killing of a Palestinian by an Israeli settler and the wounding of a photojournalist in the occupied West Bank,” said Mladenov in a press statement.

Mladenov called for conducting an immediate investigation into the killing and bringing the settler into account.

“This deplorable incident must be promptly and thoroughly investigated and all suspected of being involved must be prosecuted,” he added.

Bani Shamsa was killed and Eshtayya was injured along with three others when an Israeli settler got out of his car and started shooting at Palestinians who rallied near Huwwara checkpoint in solidarity with hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.  

Hours after his killing, Bani Shamsa was laid to his rest in the village of Beita, south of Nablus, where thousands of Palestinians attended his funeral procession.

Palestinians in Israeli imprisonment have been on a hunger strike for 33 consecutive days, demanding that Israel respect their basic rights and respond to their fair demands. 

K.F.