Israeli troops kill Palestinian teen in West Bank

Israeli troops shot and killed a 15-year-oldPalestinian early Tuesday in the West Bank and wounded four others
in what the army said appeared to be an accidental shooting.

The military said soldiers opened fire at a group of Palestinianswho were hurling stones and firebombs at cars on a West Bankhighway. But based on an initial inquiry, "it appears thatuninvolved bystanders were mistakenly hit during the pursuit," itsaid. Three Israeli civilians were hurt.

Palestinian officials said the teen, Mahmoud Badran, was killedwhen the car he was travelling in was hit by Israeli fire. Officialssaid four others were wounded, including two of Badran's brothers.

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Abdel Karim Qasim, the mayor of Beit Ur al-Tahta local council,said the teens had been at a late-night pool party celebrating theRamadan holiday on a warm summer night. In all, seven people were inthe vehicle, all of them in their teens and early 20s, and allrelated to one another.

Qasim said the vehicle was not on the main highway used byIsraeli motorists, and he could not understand why it had been shot.

"There was no one suspicious in the car," he said. "The areais open and full of security cameras. I doubt that anyone was throwing anything at the time."

Hundreds dead in recent violence

Palestinian official Saeb Erekat condemned what he called a"brutal attack."

"The international community has the responsibility to stopallowing Israel's impunity for the crimes it commits against theoccupied land and people of Palestine," he said.

Palestinian officials initially said the deceased was 14 yearsold, but later corrected themselves.

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Over the past nine months, Palestinians have carried out dozensof attacks, includingstabbings, shootings and car ramming assaults,which have killed 32 Israelis and two American tourists. About 200Palestinians have been killed during that time. Israel hasidentified most of them as attackers while the rest died in clasheswith Israeli troops.

The assaults were once near-daily incidents but have become lessfrequent in recent weeks.

Also Tuesday, the Israeli military demolished the home of aPalestinian who stabbed to death an American tourist and war veteranin an attack earlier this year.

Housing demolitions

The troops entered the West Bank village of Hajjah to knock downthe residence of Bashar Masalha. In March, he killed Taylor Forceand wounded 10 others in a stabbing attack on a Tel Aviv beachfrontpromenade.

Force was a Vanderbilt University graduate student visitingIsrael on a school trip. He previously graduated from West Point andserved tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Masalha was killed bypolice after the attack.

Israel says it carries out housing demolitions to deter futureattacks. The Palestinians consider it a form of collective punishment.