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TULKAREM, West Bank, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Israeli soldiers fatally shot an 18-year-old Palestinian man Monday during clashes in the West Bank. Officials identified the teenager as Huzeifa Othman Suleiman, a local resident who was injured by Israeli Defense Force troops during a skirmish and died after being taken to a hospital.
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According to the IDF, the skirmish saw hundreds of Hamas-affilited Palesinians throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks at Israeli forces stationed at a crossing in Tulkarem. Israeli soldiers initially responded with riot dispersal methods but resorted to throwing fire bombs when the rioters did not desist.
The skirmish is part of a larger series of recent violent interactions between Palestinians and Israeli forces throughout the West Bank and Jerusalem. Two stabbing attacks took place Saturday and Sunday, where two Israelis were killed and three more injured, including a baby.
On Sunday, three Palestinians were arrested during protests in East Jerusalem, and one young protester readying to throw a Molotov cocktail at an officer was shot in the foot just before hurling the explosive. The suspect escaped with the help of other protesters.
Another Palestinian man was arrested in A-Tur on allegations of throwing rocks at Israeli forces. Reports indicate the man was mildly injured upon his arrest, which took place after officers used crowd control measures to break up a protest. The man was given medical attention prior to being apprehended.
These and other attacks have led to the death of four Israeli civilians and the injury of at least 100 Palestinians in recent days. The violence was prompted in part by the Israeli government's increased security Jerusalem's Old City, in particular at al-Aqsa Mosque at Temple Mount -- a site deemed holy by both Jews and Muslims.
Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said this move would "make sure there are no further attacks during the Jewish festival."
On Sunday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would "fight to the death" against violence waged by Palestinians.
Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made a plea for calm, describing the latest incidents as signaling "a dangerous slide toward escalation."
