JERUSALEM, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov on Sunday urged Israel to "put an end to settler violence," a day after settlers killed a Palestinian in the West Bank.
Mladenov condemned the violence in the village of al-Mughayer in the Ramallah district as "shocking" and "unacceptable."
"Israel must put an end to settler violence and bring those responsible to justice," he wrote on his Twitter account.
There was no official Israeli response to the envoy's call but police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said on Saturday that an investigation into the incident was launched and a military spokesperson said that the army will also review it.
According to the military, the killing came after "a physical confrontation" broke out between settlers and Palestinian villagers during which a settler was lightly injured.
"Initial details suggest that shortly thereafter, a conflict erupted between Israeli civilians and Palestinians in the area, in which live rounds were fired by the civilians," the army said in a statement.
"One Palestinian died and several others are injured," the statement added.
The military said that it dispersed the crowd with riot dispersal means.
The Palestinians said that the settlers had entered the village and the residents attempted to fend them off.
The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the victim as Hamdi al-Nasan, 38, and said nine others were injured by the gunfire of the armed settlers.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the killing.
"The Israeli government is continuing its policy of escalation," the official Wafa news agency quoted Abbas as saying.
"This will lead to serious consequences, further tension and the creation of a dangerous and uncontrollable atmosphere," he added.
Palestinians frequently report violence by settlers, including uprooting and damaging olive trees, sabotaging property, and physical violence.
