West Bank teen killed by Israeli fire

RAMALLAH, Palestine: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian teenager near the separation barrier in the northern West Bank yestrday, Palestinian medical and security sources told AFP.
Samir Ahmed Awad, 17, died after being hit by three bullets during an incident which took place in the West Bank village of Budrus, medical sources and the mayor said.
The shooting struck by a school 200 metres (yards) from Israel's separation barrier, where a handful of students had thrown stones at Israeli troops after finishing their exams, Budrus Mayor Mohammed Morar told AFP.
"It was the last day of school and some students threw stones. The soldiers caught him and tried to arrest him, but he escaped so they fired six bullets at him," he said.
Medics said he sustained bullet wounds to the back, head and leg.
An army spokeswoman said troops had "responded" after several Palestinians "approached the security fence near Budrus and damaged it in an attempt to infiltrate Israel" although police said troops had fired in the air after Palestinians threw stones at the barrier.
Several hours later, more than 2,000 Palestinians from Budrus and the surrounding villages gathered for the teenager's funeral and protesters threw stones at troops..
In a separate incident, Palestinian medics said troops had shot and injured one person by the nearby village of Deir Nidham who was taken to Israel. The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the incident.
Awad was the fourth Palestinian shot dead in the past five days.
Two Gazan farmers in their early 20s were killed near the border fence with Israel — one on Friday and another on Monday. And on Saturday, a West Bank laborer was shot dead south of Hebron as he tried to cross the security barrier to find work, medics said.
The Gaza deaths were both close to the security fence where Israel maintains a no-go zone, and where troops habitually fire warning shots towards anyone coming within 100 metres (yards) of the frontier.
FROM: AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE