Israel troops shoot dead Palestinian in West Bank

Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian during an operation in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, a hospital official said, the second killing within 24 hours.

Falah Abu Maria, 50, was shot in the chest in his home in the village of Beit Omar near the southern city of Hebron, neighbours said.

He had run downstairs to see what was happening when troops stormed it to arrest his son Mohammed, they added.

The hospital said that the 24-year-old son was being treated for a gunshot wound to the leg.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said that during the raid to detain Mohammed, wanted on suspicion of security offences, "forces were attacked by a violent mob."

She said that one man attacked a soldier who in response shot him in a lower limb.

She said the wounded man was taken to hospital.

She said she could not confirm his identity but acknowledged that the wanted suspect was not taken into custody.

"As the forces left the scene they were attacked once again by a violent mob who hurled rocks and bricks at them," she added. "The forces responded with fire towards the main instigator."

She said that a soldier was "slightly injured" by the stone-throwing.

The incident was similar to one on Wednesday near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, where troops shot dead Mohammed Alawneh, 22, in clashes that followed raids and searches at several houses in the village of Birqin.
Source: AFP