Advertisement

Israel Reviews Military After West Bank Deaths

Israel's military has called for an immediate review of its terms of engagement after a spate of fatal shootings provoked violent clashes in the West Bank.

The funerals of a female student and teenage boy on Wednesday night were followed by hundreds of Palestinian youths attacking an Israeli check point in Bethlehem.

Tear gas and plastic-coated steel bullets were fired at the angry crowd and at least three people were seriously injured and remain in hospital.

Earlier in the afternoon 22-year-old Lubna Hanash had been shot in the face by an Israeli soldier.

The shooting occurred outside the al Aroub refugee camp near Hebron, with the Israeli military claiming the civilian car in which the soldier was travelling in was attacked with fire bombs.

Local witnesses say two other people were also shot, but were not seriously injured.

Fifteen-year-old Salih al Amarin from Bethlehem also died on Wednesday, after being shot on Friday.

Israel's commander of operations in the West Bank, Brigadier Hagai Mordechai, has ordered an immediate review of the rules of engagement used by soldiers.

Traditionally Israeli military are expected to shoot below the knee when using live rounds, but at least six Palestinians have been shot dead this month alone.

A military police investigation has also begun into the shooting of Lubna Hanash.

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad called for an "immediate intervention to compel Israel to desist from these serious attacks on our people".

UN Middle East Peace Process Envoy Robert Serry also expressed concern at the increased use of live fire by Israeli forces in the West Bank.

A spokesman for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said: "We are very concerned about six Palestinians killed by the Israeli Defence Force in different incidents in the past couple of weeks, including the two who died yesterday.

"We have raised these cases with the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs and the relevant Israeli authority for the OPTs ( COGAT ).

"The UK has repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the IDF polices non-violent protests and the border areas, including use of live ammunition."