RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Israeli forces on Friday killed a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry and the army said, with the latter adding that a soldier was lightly wounded.
Mehdi Bayadsa, 29, was killed by 鈥渂ullets from the occupation (Israel) near the Rantis military checkpoint, west of Ramallah,鈥� the ministry said in a statement.
The military in a statement said it had 鈥渘eutralized鈥� a Palestinian who had arrived near the crossing point between the West Bank and Israel in a stolen vehicle.
鈥淲hile IDF (Israeli army) soldiers inspected his vehicle, the suspect attacked an IDF soldier and attempted to steal his weapon,鈥� the army said, adding a 鈥渓ightly injured鈥� soldier was taken to hospital.
鈥淔ollowing the confrontation, another soldier in the area shot live fire toward the suspect and neutralized him,鈥� the army said, adding that it was 鈥渋nvestigating the incident.鈥�
Nearly three million Palestinians live in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since the Six-Day War of 1967.
About 490,000 Israelis live in the occupied territory in settlements deemed illegal under international law.
Since the start of the year, at least 157 Palestinians, 21 Israelis, a Ukrainian and an Italian have been killed in violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources.
The figures include combatants as well as civilians and, on the Israeli side, three members of the Arab minority.