West Bank: Palestinian shot dead after firing at Israeli soldiers

In the West Bank on Monday, an Israeli soldier opened fire on a Palestinian attacker who was throwing a grenade and shooting at him. The attacker was killed, according to Palestinian authorities and the Israeli military. With increased Israeli raids, Palestinian street attacks, and Jewish settlers attacking Palestinian towns, violence in the West Bank, one of the areas where the Palestinians aspire to establish a state, has gotten worse during the past 15 months. The Israeli military claimed that after questioning a suspicious driver they encountered on a West Bank road, the driver got out of his car and fired at the troops before they returned fire and “neutralised” him. His demise was confirmed by the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Other immediate comments from Palestinian officials were nonexistent. US-mediated negotiations to establish a Palestinian state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza broke down in 2014 and don’t appear to be picking up again. In the Middle East conflict of 1967, Israel took control of all three locations. In the West Bank’s flashpoint city of Jenin, Israel last week began its largest operation in years. Twelve Palestinians, the majority of whom were identified as terrorist combatants, as well as one Israeli soldier, died. (With agency inputs)