Two teens shot dead by Israeli police as faithful flock to West Bank
Israeli police have shot and killed a 16- year- old Palestinian near the West Bank separation barrier, while in Jerusalem’s Old City an alleged Palestinian attacker was killed after stabbing and injuring two Israelis.
The outbreak of violence yesterday came as t ens of t housands of worshippers flocked to Jerusalem’s Al- Aqsa Mosque for noon prayers on the last Friday in the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
Israeli police shot and killed 16- year- old Abdullah Ghaith near the West Bank cit y of Bethlehem, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, adding that another 21- year- old Palestinian was wounded by a live bullet to the stomach.
Israeli police said the Palestinian teenager was shot while attempting to climb over the heavily guarded separation barrier from Bethlehem into Jerusalem. The police said they were launching a probe into the incident.
T h e b o y ’s f a t h e r L o u a i Ghaith said his son had been tr ying to enter Jerusalem to pray at Al- Aqsa Mosque for the holy day. The boy’s body was brought to a Bethlehem hospital where his distraught family identified him.
“He was going to fulfill his religious duty, he was going to worship,” Mr Ghaith said. “They killed him ... with a bullet to his heart, like a game, and 16 years I’ve been raising him.”
COGAT, the Israeli defence body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, said it eases tight movement restrictions on Palestinian residents of the West Bank travelling to Jerusalem for Friday prayers at Al- Aqsa Mosque. Women of all ages can enter for the occasion, as well as men over the age of 40 who undergo a background check. Younger Palestinian men must request an entry permit from the mili t ar y, which i s diff i cult t o obtain.
Separately, Israeli police said they shot dead a 19- year- old Palestinian suspected of carrying out two stabbings near Damascus Gate, a bustling main entrance to the predominantly Palestinian part of the Old City.
Police said one Israeli was in critical condition, while the second was in moderate condition.
The suspect, police said, was shot by security forces while running through the Old City’s Muslim quarter. The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the teen as Yousef Wajih, from a village near the West Bank city of Ramallah.
The stabbings happened just hours before busloads of Muslim worshippers were to arrive from both Israel and the West Bank for Friday prayers at AlAqsa Mosque.
Israeli police said more than 150,000 people gathered for midday prayers, which passed wit hout f ur t her i nci dent. At nightfall, adherents will return to the golden- topped Dome of the Rock for intense prayer observance.