The Times of Israel newspaper reported that police prosecutors decided to shelve the matter, drawing harsh criticism from the human rights group Yesh Din, which represented the victim’s family.

Palestinian witnesses reported that Ali Hassan Harb, a 27-year-old engineer, was stabbed in the chest by the settler outside the West Bank town of Iskaka.

The Israelis arrived in the area with construction materials in an attempt to build an outpost of a future settlement, causing a clash with the residents, the newspaper said.

The 44-year-old defendant was arrested after visiting a local police station a day after the incident to file a counter-complaint.

Despite the abundance of evidence that reinforces the suspicion of premeditated murder by the settler, contradicting his claim that he acted in self-defense, the prosecution closed the case, criticized Yesh Din.

The NGO denounced that during the investigation “intimidation and threats against the relatives of Ali Harb and other witnesses” occurred.

pgh/llp/rgh/rob