BICOM

A 13-year-old Palestinian was shot dead yesterday by Israeli soldiers who came under attack while undertaking an operation in the West Bank.

The incident took place in the village of Beit Liqya, near Ramallah. Palestinian reports said that Baha Samir Bader was shot in the chest by IDF troops. The IDF said that soldiers opened fire when they came under firebomb attack after they exited their vehicle following a technical malfunction while leaving the village.

The shooting came after several days of unrest in various East Jerusalem neighbourhoods. Yesterday in Silwan, near the Old City, local Palestinians threw Molotov cocktails at a private car and a police vehicle, although no injuries were reported. Meanwhile, four firebombs were hurled at a house in Nof Zion. Yesterday morning, a Border Police officer was injured in a similar incident in Ras al-Amud. In Shuafat, Palestinians vandalised the light railway, which has become a familiar occurrence during the past several months.

Yesterday’s violence follows several incidents atop the Temple Mount this week. The site is holy to both Jews and Muslims. On Monday, Israeli forces quelled a planned riot in order to allow Jewish visitors to conduct a tour of the area. On Wednesday, three Israeli policemen were lightly hurt by rocks thrown at them near the Temple Mount. Israel Radio news reports this morning that Jerusalem District Police will restrict entry to the Temple Mount today to men over 50-years-old after they received intelligence of planned disturbances by young people.

The recent violence is just the latest episode following several months of high tension particularly in Jerusalem. In July, serious clashes broke out following the murder of 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khedir, who was killed by Jewish Israeli extremists in an act of revenge for the murder of three Israeli teenagers whose bodies were discovered the previous week.