Palestinian tries to stab Israeli soldiers, shot dead:

A Palestinian-US national tried to stab Israeli soldiers on Friday at a checkpoint near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and was shot dead, the army and Palestinian sources said.

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

But soldiers "thwarted the attack, firing towards the assailant, resulting in his death", an army statement said.

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

Palestinian security sources said the teenager from Deir Dibwan village northeast of Ramallah held both Palestinian and American nationality.

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.

Most of the Palestinians who died in the violence were killed by Israeli forces while carrying out attacks but others were killed during clashes and demonstrations.

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.
Source :AFP