American, 14, dies in West Bank
U.S. seeks inquiry after he was killed by Israeli forces in clashes
Katharine Lackey
The U.S. State Department is calling for a “speedy and transparent investigation” after it says an American youth was killed by Israeli forces during clashes in the West Bank.
“The United States expresses its deepest condolences to the family of a U.S. citizen minor who was killed by the Israeli Defense Forces during clashes in Silwad,” Jen Psaki, department spokesperson, said in a press statement Friday, adding the agency will remain “closely engaged” with local officials.
“We continue to urge all parties to help restore calm and avoid escalating tensions in the wake of the tragic recent incidents in Jerusalem and the West Bank,” she added.
A relative identified the teen as 14-year-old Orwah Hammad, born in New Orleans, who has been living in the West Bank since he was 6. His cousin said he was among a group of Palestinians throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers.
The Israeli military said soldiers “prevented an attack” by opening fire on a Palestinian who was throwing fire-bombs at traffic on a highway Friday evening.
Violence in the region has remained high despite a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in late August. On Wednesday, a 3month-old girl with American citizenship was killed and eight were wounded when a Palestinian drove his car into a crowd at a Jerusalem light-rail train stop.
Oren Dorell KIEV, UKRAINE A few days before today’s parliamentary elections in Ukraine, Svetlana Borispolets was looking forward to her first hot shower in months. The timing may not be coincidental.
Ukraine’s pro-Western President Petro Poroshenko ordered the country’s Soviet-era heating plants to restart this week after idling since June to preserve gas for the winter.
Today is a key step for Ukraine to secure the political and economic changes that many people here fought for last winter when they ousted a pro-Russian regime, triggering a conflict that still simmers.
Borispolets, 75, like most other