IDF forces kill Palestinian American rock-thrower during Samaria counterterror op

One Palestinian was killed and two wounded during Israel Defense Forces counter-terror operations near Turmus Ayya in Samaria on Sunday, according to the Israeli military.

The fatality was identified by the mayor of Turmus Ayya as U.S. citizen Omar Mohammad Rabea, 14. Mayor Adeeb Lafi claimed the teenager was shot dead by an “Israeli settler.”

The vast majority of the southern Samaria village’s residents hold U.S. citizenship.

According to the IDF, troops opened fire on several individuals who were hurling stones at vehicles on Samaria’s Route 60 highway.

“During counter-terror activity in the area of Turmus Ayya, IDF soldiers identified three terrorists who hurled rocks toward the highway, thus endangering civilians driving,” according to an IDF statement.

The soldiers opened fire, killing one of the terrorists and wounding two, the statement continued. The IDF published video footage of the incident.

The Palestinian Authority condemned Rabea’s death as an “extra-judicial killing” by Israeli forces during a raid in the village.

A State Department spokesperson confirmed to JNS that Rabea held U.S. citizenship, offering “our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss.

“We acknowledge the IDF initial statement that expressed that this incident occurred during a counter-terrorism operation and that Israel is investigating,” the spokesperson said. “Out of respect for the privacy of the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment at this time.”

In January 2024, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, a Palestinian-American teen, was reportedly killed by the IDF while hurling rocks at drivers on the same highway, near Al-Mazra’a ash-Sharqiya, a 10-minute drive south of Turmus Ayya.

The Biden administration expressed its “deepest condolences” over his death and provided the family with “all appropriate consular services.”

Since the 1980s, at least 16 people have been killed as a result of car crashes caused by Palestinian rock-throwers, including 11-year-old Chava Wechsberg, five-month-old Yehuda Shoham, Asher Palmer and his 1-year-old son—all four dual Israeli-American citizens.

Palestinian terrorists targeted Israeli Jews in Judea and Samaria at least 6,343 times in 2024, according to figures published by the Rescuers Without Borders (Hatzalah Judea and Samaria) NGO on Feb. 17.

The figures, which were cross-checked against official data from Israel’s security services, included 3,668 instances of rock-throwing, 843 fire bombings, 671 attempts to blind drivers with laser pointers, 526 explosive charges, 364 cases of arson and 179 shootings.

Twenty-seven Israelis were murdered in Judea and Samaria in 2024, and more than 300 others were wounded, the group said in its annual report.

Overnight Sunday, IDF forces engaged in counter terror operations throughout Judea and Samaria, arresting 15 wanted individuals and seizing three weapons, the Israeli military said in a statement on Monday.