A tragic accident occurred in the Shomron on Monday evening when a Border Police officer accidentally shot two Israeli settlers involved in riots in an Arab village in the Shomron, wounding one critically and one seriously.

The incident occurred on Route 55 between Kadumim and Karnei Shomron near Ramat Gilad.

MDA paramedics and medics provided medical treatment at the scene to the two settlers, both about age 20, and evacuated them, one in critical condition and one in serious condition, to the Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba.

Dozens of Israeli settlers had entered the nearby village of al-Funduq, set vehicles on fire, and rioted in the area.

IDF and Border Police forces entered the area to disperse the rioters. The circumstances of the serious incident are still under investigation but it is believed that the settler youths were wounded after one Border Police officer shot his gun in the air as a warning after the youths sprayed pepper spray on him.

The IDF spokesperson  had stated that “IDF and Border Police forces have arrived at the Funduq area of the Ephraim Brigade in the last hour following reports of public disturbances and are currently working to disperse them.”

The background for the riots is likely the terror attack that occurred in the village of Funduq about two weeks ago, during which three Israelis were killed. The terrorists who committed the attack have not yet been caught.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)