Israel forces kill Palestinian accused of car ramming

NABLUS, Palestinian Territories - Israeli forces have 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 string of attacks by Palestinians on Israeli targets, as well as 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, while Israeli border police accused him of attacking officers.

The force said in a statement a "violent disturbance" had broken out "during which suspects threw stones and explosives" at Israeli forces.

"A security guard responded by shooting at a suspect who threw a bomb," the statement said, adding that "a hit was detected".

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.

They include, on the Palestinian side, combatants and civilians, and on the Israeli side, mostly civilians and three members of the Arab minority.

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. - AFP