Nablus: Rioting youth killed by IDF
Palestinian sources say two of his friends were seriously wounded as they hurled rocks at soldiers operating in Kfar Beita. IDF: Youth was throwing Molotov cocktail, was shot in leg
The Palestinian sources say that the youth, Shadi Naif, was with several dozen youths who were hurling rocks at soldiers conducting a routine operation in the village. According to the sources two additional youths were seriously wounded from the IDF fire, after which the soldiers left the village.
The IDF said in response that during activity the rioters detonated an explosive device against the soldiers and threw six Molotov cocktails at the force. The soldiers fired at the rioters throwing the Molotov cocktails and reported hitting one in the leg.
Earlier Thursday evening an 18-year-old Palestinian was arrested at a checkpoint near Nablus with three pipe-bombs. IDF sappers detonated the explosives in a controlled manner and the Palestinian was taken for questioning by security forces.
Despite the ceasefire declared in Gaza Qassam rockets continued to land in Israel, with Palestinian sources saying that an IDF force shot and wounded a Palestinian man near the town of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza. The man was wounded in his leg and evacuated to hospital for treatment.
'We won't agree to divide homeland'
Earlier this week an IDF force killed a senior member of the Popular Resistance Committees in Qabatiya near Jenin. Palestinians say a 50 year old woman was also killed. The army estimates that the PRC is responsible for several of the Qassam rockets fired at Israel in response to the death of one of its senior commanders.
Islamic Jihad leader Sheikh Mahmoud Saadi warned Monday morning that his organization is likely to carry out a suicide attack "in response to Israeli's crimes" and that the organization won't agree that the ceasefire should be abolished because it doesn't apply to the West Bank.
"We won't agree to divide the homeland into two separate geographic regions," he said, "if the truce doesn't include the West Bank, and if IDF operations continue in the region, we will respond with suicide attacks. We expect that responsibility for the attacks, which are a result of the continuing Israeli crimes and the Israeli breaches of the truce, won't be placed on us."
The army said that during the activity in Qabatiya soldiers identified several armed Palestinians. Shots were fired at the troops, who responded. Soldiers identified hitting one of the armed men. The IDF says that the woman who was killed was with the group of men and was armed, thereby constituting a risk just like the other armed persons in the group. The army also said that the force initially thought that the woman was a man because she was dressed in men's clothing.
Efrat Weiss contributed to this report
