Palestinian teen killed in West Bank clashes with Israeli forces | Military News
Clashes erupted after Israeli soldiers prepared to demolish the home of a man accused of shooting an Israeli in December.
Israeli soldiers shot dead a 17-year-old Palestinian during clashes near the town of Jenin in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry and official Wafa news agency said on Monday.
The health ministry said Mohammed Abu Salah was killed in the village of Silat al-Harithiya as troops arrived late on Sunday to demolish the home of Muhammad Jaradat, a man accused of killing an Israeli late last year.
Witnesses said soldiers and Palestinian gunmen exchanged fire.
The army said “violent riots” broke out ahead of the planned demolition, “with the participation of hundreds of Palestinians,” some of whom hurled explosives at Israeli troops.
“The troops identified a number of armed rioters, and fired towards them in order to neutralize the threat,” the army statement said without commenting directly on the teenager’s death.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 10 people were also wounded in the gunfire.
Jaradat has been charged with killing an Israel in a shooting attack on a car near the illegal Jewish outpost of Homesh on December 16. The former settlement was evacuated as part of Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005. The Israeli military had said earlier it would destroy a floor of the house where he lived.
Israel says demolitions carried out at assailants’ homes can help deter future assaults.
Rights groups have condemned the tactic, which often targets homes where other family members also live, as collective punishment.
