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Palestinian killed during weekend violence in West Bank

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A Palestinian man was killed during clashes with Israeli security forces over the weekend, when a number of violent incidents took place.

During an arrest operation last night in the West Bank city of Jenin, IDF soldiers were attacked by locals throwing explosive devices, with one moderately injured. The soldiers returned fire, killing a 19-year-old Palestinian named as Muhammad Mahmoud Abu Khalifa. YNet says that a further five Palestinians were wounded in the clash.

Also yesterday, two Palestinians were arrested, one male and one female, after attempting to enter the West Bank settlement of Karnei Shomron armed with knives. A security officer gave a warning shot as they approached, before they were disarmed and handed over to Israeli security forces for interrogation.

On Friday, shots were fired at an Israeli car travelling near the West Bank settlement of Nilli. No injuries were reported, despite bullets hitting the car. Israeli security forces searched the area for the assailants, who fled the scene. They eventually arrested two men in Deir Abu Masha, just north of Nilli, who were found in possession of a makeshift ‘Carlo’ rifle.

The same type of weapon was used in a similar shooting attack last week, when shots were fired from a car at an IDF guard post near Halamish in the West Bank. No soldiers were injured and troops returned fire, seriously wounding the attacker.

During 2016, Israeli forces discovered and closed down 40 makeshift weapon factories in the West Bank and confiscated more than 420 guns in raids. Since October 2015, a series of Palestinian attacks have killed at least 42 people.

Yesterday, a court in Jordan sentenced a man to five years of imprisonment and hard labour after he was convicted of planning to attack and murder Israelis.

In June last year, the man attempted to infiltrate the border between the two countries near the Sea of Galilee. When stopped by Jordanian forces, he said he intended to “take part in jihad” on behalf of his “brothers in Palestine”.