Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian teenager early Sunday in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said.

Security officials said that troops entered the village of Beit Rima, near Ramallah, after midnight and were confronted by stone-throwing youths.

The Palestinian health ministry said that Ahmed Hazem Atta, 19, was killed in the ensuing army fire.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said that there was a "violent riot" at Beit Rima but could not confirm the death.

"Dozens of rioters hurled rocks at security forces injuring a border police soldier," she said.

"In order to prevent an escalation of violence forces responded with riot dispersal means, and fired toward main instigators," she added.

"We have reports of a rioter killed and another injured and they're being looked into," but were so far unverified, the spokeswoman told AFP.

Israeli army have killed 244 Palestinians since October 2015 while 36 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese national were also killed as a result of the tension.

The West Bank city of Hebron has seen the highest number of fatalities, with 80 Palestinians shot dead by Israeli forces. This was followed by Jerusalem (Al-Quds in Arabic), where 51 Palestinians have been killed within the past year.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank during the 1967 Middle East War. It later annexed the city in 1980, claiming it as the unified capital of the self-proclaimed Jewish state - a move never recognized by the international community.

International law views the West Bank and East Jerusalem as "occupied territories," considering all Jewish settlement building on the land to be illegal.</s>A 19-year-old Palestinian was killed by Israeli security forces early on Sunday morning in a village near Ramallah, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

An IDF official said that the military is examining the report that a Palestinian was killed and another was wounded in clashes that took place overnight in the West Bank village of Beit Rima.

Ahmed Arimawi.

According to the IDF, some 50 Palestinians were involved in the clash, some of whom threw stones at Israeli security forces. A Border Police officer was wounded. The army said that the forces responded to the stone-throwing with riot control measures and with shooting in the air.

The health ministry identified the 19-year-old as Ahmed Arimawi, saying that a live bullet struck him the chest during clash. He was seriously wounded and transferred to hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds.

Clashes have been taking place between the army and youths in the village over the past three days against the backdrop of searches and arrests being carried out there.

Palestinian media reported that Ahmed Arimawi is the son of Hazem Arimawi, who was released from Israeli prison three months ago after serving a 15-year sentence for security-related offenses.</s>JERUSALEM (JTA) — A 19-year-old Palestinian was killed during clashes with Israeli security forces in the West Bank.

Ahmad Hazem Ata al-Rimawi was shot in the chest early Sunday morning during a riot in the Palestinian village of Beit Rima, near Ramallah, the Palestinian Ministry of Health told the Palestinian Maan news agency.

Palestinians in the area began rioting and throwing rocks at Israeli forces, injuring a Border Police officer. The security forces used riot dispersal means to halt the clashes, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

The IDF said it was aware of Palestinian reports that a rioter had been killed during the dispersal and that it would investigate.

Several arrests and searches have been conducted in the village in recent days.

The dead teen’s father, Hazem Ata al-Rimawi, was released from Israeli prison three months ago, after completing a 15-year sentence, according to Maan.</s>JERUSALEM -- Palestinian police say a 19-year-old has been shot dead by Israeli forces during stone-throwing clashes in the West Bank.

Police say Ahmad Rimawi was shot in the chest Sunday after hurling stones at Israeli troops in Beit Rima, near Ramallah.

The Israeli military says dozens of rioters attacked security forces, injuring one border policeman. It said the forces responded with riot dispersal means.

Since last year, Palestinian attackers have killed 36 Israelis and two visiting Americans in a series of mostly stabbing attacks. During that time, 229 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. Israel says most of the Palestinians killed were attackers while the rest died in clashes.

Israel says the violence is driven by Palestinian incitement. Palestinians say it's the result of nearly 50 years of Israeli occupation.</s>JERUSALEM (JTA) — Three Palestinians were arrested on suspicion of carrying out arson attacks in the West Bank during last month’s forest fires.

The three men were arrested on Nov. 26, in a joint operation of the Israel Defense Forces, the Israel Police and the Shin Bet security agency, the Shin Bet said in a statement released on Sunday. The arrests had been under a gag order.

The three men, Hamdan Tzakar Hamdan Lami, 19; Jouad Muhammad Fayiz Daher, 19 and Vizid Ahmed Hamdan Lami, 24, are residents of the West Bank village of Iskaka, and are suspected of carrying out arson attacks near their village and near the southern approach to the city of Ariel in the northern West Bank.

The IDF investigation determined that the three had committed arson for nationalistic motives.

Three suspects were filmed by security cameras on Nov. 25 attempting to start a fire outside of Ariel, according to the Times of Israel.

Police officials have said they suspect arson in 29 of the 39 major fires, and in about one-third of the 90 total fires they investigated. There are no suspects in the large fires in Haifa and Zichron Yaakov, nor clear proof of arson.
A rock throwing 19-year old Palestinian is killed by IDF troops amid clashes in the West Bank village of Beit Rima.