Israel forces kill Palestinian

Nablus, Palestinian Territories (AFP):

Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said Saturday, in what the army described as a “car ramming attempt” near Nablus.

Fawzi Mukhalifa, 18, “was killed by the occupation (Israeli) bullets in the town of Sebastia” late on Friday, the Palestinian health ministry said.

He was the second Palestinian to be killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank within hours.

The army said troops had responded to “a car ramming attempt” in the northern West Bank town “by firing towards the suspects who were in the vehicle. The driver was neutralised.”

Another “suspect” who had been in Mukhalifa’s car was wounded and arrested, the army said.

The deadly incident came amid rising tensions in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since the 1967 Six-Day War.

The territory has seen a surge in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities.

Earlier on Friday, the Palestinian health ministry reported the death of Mohammed al-Bayed, 17, near the city of Ramallah.

Bayed died from injuries sustained by live bullets fired by Israeli forces in the village of Umm Safa, it said.

Violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this year has killed at least 198 Palestinians, 27 Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources from both sides.

The West Bank is home to nearly three million Palestinians, as well as around 490,000 Israelis who live in settlements considered illegal under international law.