RAMALLAH: Israel on Thursday defied a US demand to stop killing Palestinians in military raids in the occupied West Bank. More than 80 Palestinians have died since Israel launched its latest crackdown in April. Washington urged Israel to change how it operates after the Israeli military admitted this week that one of its soldiers probably killed the US-Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in a raid in Jenin in May. The US has also asked Israel for more information about the Netzach Yehuda Brigade, a battalion in the West Bank comprising Haredi settlers accused of abusing Palestinians. However, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid responded on Thursday: “No one will dictate our rules of engagement to us.” Maj. Gen. Younis Al-Asi, a specialist in infantry and the governor of Tubas in the northern West Bank, told Arab News: “The Israeli army’s use of excessive force against the Palestinians contributes to creating violence among the Palestinians, then the Israelis dress it up as terrorism. When a soldier kills the brother or son of a Palestinian citizen, what do you expect him to do except think of revenge?” Al-Asi said Israeli soldiers aimed at heads and chest areas while shooting in order to neutralize targets. “Two days ago, the Israeli armed forces invaded Jenin with more than 100 armored vehicles and more than 1,000 soldiers; none of the intruders was injured, so why are they shooting to kill our sons?”