Israeli army shoots, kills Palestinian-American teen after stab attempt

A Palestinian with American citizenship tried to stab Israeli soldiers on Friday at a checkpoint near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and was shot dead, the Israeli army said.

The army said the assailant approached the so-called DCO checkpoint used by diplomats, journalists and some authorised Palestinians, and attemped to stab soldiers.

The soldiers responding by shooting the teen dead, an army statement said.

The Palestinian health ministry identified the alleged attacker as 17-year-old Mahmud Shaalan.

No Israelis were injured in the incident, Maan News Agency reported.

Palestinian security sources said the teenager, who lived in Deir Dibwan village northeast of Ramallah, held both Palestinian and American nationality.

US officials have yet to comment on the incident.

On Friday evening, the Israeli army closed the checkpoint, which is near the Beit El settlement outside Ramallah, an AFP correspondent said.

A wave of violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories since October has killed 177 Palestinians as well as 28 Israelis, an American, a Sudanese and an Eritrean, according to an AFP toll.

Many of the Palestinians were killed after attempting knife attacks on Israelis, but others have been shot dead by the Israeli military during protests.

Also on Friday, clashes took place in several parts of the West Bank between-stone throwing Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers and across the border separating Israel and the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian health ministry said six Palestinians were wounded by gunfire in Gaza.