Update: Israeli soldiers shoot Palestinian dead near Bethlehem

A Palestinian youth was shot dead and another wounded Wednesday night by Israeli soldiers at an army roadblock to the south the West Bank city of Bethlehem, said paramedics.

The shooting took place at Gush Itzion crossroad south of Bethlehem when Israeli soldiers at the roadblock opened fire at two Palestinians, killing one and seriously wounding the other, the source said.

Mohamed Awad, director of emergency at the Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed that a Palestinian young man was killed and another critically wounded by Israeli troops south of Bethlehem.

Local residents said that the two Palestinians were critically wounded at first, adding that they were left bleeding until one of them died of his wounds.

However, Israel's police spokesperson said in a statement that the man killed and his friend were attempting to steal a car from a parking lot near a Rami Levy supermarket in the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim.

"A police patrol has spotted them," said the spokesperson, adding that "one of the suspects was arrested and the other began to flee on foot."

A soldier at the scene shot and killed the suspect, according to the police.

An Israeli military spokesperson told Xinhua that soldiers were involved in the shooting, and an investigation was underway. However, the spokesperson did not further elaborate on the details.

The West Bank was captured by Israel from Jordan in the 1967 Mideast war, and has controlled it ever since.

Israeli military's open-fire regulations strictly limit the use of live ammunition to life-threatening situations.

According to local residents in Bethlehem, these soldiers guarding the roadblock were in panic all the time, and would fire at anything moving or any Palestinian walks in areas closed to them. Endit