PALESTINIAN YOUTH SHOT DEAD BY ISRAELI FORCES SOUTH OF NABLUS

Nablus, 8 Rabiul Awwal 1436/30 December 2014 (MINA)– A Palestinian youth was shot dead by Israeli forces at the Tappuah checkpoint south of Nablus in the northern West Bank on Monday (29/12).

Local Palestinian sources told Ma’an that Israeli troops opened fire at two young Palestinian men in the Jabal Sbeih area within Beita village, near the Tappuah checkpoint, which is also known to Palestinians as Zaatara.

The youth who was killed in the incident was identified by Nablus TV as Imam Jamil Ahmad Dweikat, 17, a resident of Beita, Ma’an News Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting, Tuesday.

The other victim was identified as Nael Thiab, 17, and he was reportedly evacuated to a hospital in Nablus with moderate to serious gunshot wounds following the incident.

Palestinian security sources confirmed that the Israeli liaison department officially notified the Palestinian Authority that Israeli troops shot dead a young Palestinian man and that his body is still with the Israeli army.

The slain youth is the 50th Palestinian to be killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank in 2014, bringing the total Palestinian dead at Israeli hands so far this year to around 2,335, including those who died in Gaza as a result of Israel’s summer offensive.

An Israeli military spokeswoman told Ma’an that an Israeli military patrol was passing through the area when they “encountered a group of Palestinians hurling rocks at a main road, which endangered both civilians and vehicles.”

“The forces called them to halt and fired warning shots, and when they didn’t comply they responded to the threat with direct fire which wounded one of the attackers.”

She said that the military treated him on site but he later died of his wounds.

“A military police investigation has been opened into the matter,” she added. (T/P010/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)