Israeli forces have shot and killed a Palestinian youth in the occupied
territories. Robert Berger reports from the VOA bureau in Jerusalem.
Israeli
troops manning an observation post spotted a Palestinian outside the
Jewish settlement of Yitzhar in the West Bank. The army said the
suspect lit a firebomb, and fearing that it was aimed at them, soldiers
opened fire and killed him. An army spokesman said a knife and tools
were found on the body, indicating that he planned to infiltrate the
settlement and carry out an attack.
The Palestinian was identified as a 14-year-old boy from the village of Assira al-Kubliyeh near the settlement.
The
incident came a week after another Palestinian, believed to be from the
same village, entered the settlement and stabbed and wounded a
9-year-old Israeli boy. That prompted settlers to go on a rampage in
the village, firing live ammunition and throwing stones at houses.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert accused the settlers of carrying out
a "pogrom," a term usually used for the persecution of Jews.
Settler activist Yisrael Meidad says there is bad blood between the Palestinian village and Yitzhar, the Jewish settlement.
"I
was given material from Yitzhar people, going back at least three
years, of press releases relating to their complaints about their
fields being burned, rocks being thrown and other threatening and
dangerous activities," he said. "And the Arabs have presented pictures
and videos claiming the same story from the other side."
Responding
to the shooting incident, the Israeli army said troops prevented a
terrorist attack on the settlement. But Palestinians said firing live
ammunition at a 14-year-old boy is excessive use of force.
