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Palestinian killed, three Israelis injured in rock and firebomb hurling incident

Xinhua, June 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

A Palestinian was killed and three Israelis lightly injured after a group of Palestinians pelted cars with rocks and firebombs at cars on a major highway overnight, the Israeli army said early Tuesday.

A group of Palestinians threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at cars driving along Route 443, which connects the Jerusalem and West Bank area with central Israel.

Three Israelis were lightly injured and evacuated to the Shaarei Tzedek hospital in Jerusalem.

In response, Israeli soldiers shot at the Palestinians, killing one of them. Two other Palestinian were reportedly wounded, according to Palestinian media reports.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson, the soldiers at the scene shot the Palestinians after they "hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at moving vehicles near the village of Beit Sira" in the central West Bank.

"An initial review suggests that as the (Palestinian) mob continued, nearby forces acted in order to protect the passing vehicles from danger and fired towards the assailant," the IDF spokesperson said in a statement.

"Forces confirmed hits resulting in the death of one of the attackers," it said, adding two Palestinian suspects were arrested.

Thirty two Israelis and 205 Palestinians have been killed in an ongoing wave of violence which started in October.

While Israelis were killed in shooting, stabbing and car-ramming attacks, the Palestinians were killed either in clashes during protests with Israeli security forces, or gunned down after trying to carry out attacks against Israelis.

While the Israeli leaders blame the Palestinian Authority for "incitement to violence" that prompted the wave of unrest, the Palestinians charge it is the result of 49 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip territories, where they wish to establish a Palestinian state. Endit