Troops shoot dead Palestinian
Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian early today near the West Bank city of Jenin, witnesses and the army said.
Israeli forces remained on high alert and planned to restrict entry by Palestinians to Friday prayers at a disputed Jerusalem holy site, fearing riots, the police said.
In the village of Qabatiya near Jenin, Palestinian rescue workers said they found the body of Ahmed Nazal, 28, in a bullet riddled car in an open field.
The army said that a patrol had come under fire from a vehicle that tried to flee at high speed. They gave chase and opened fire after the car refused to stop.
Rescue workers said Nazal was unarmed.
Also today, a Palestinian militant, Mohammed Gelita, died of wounds sustained in a February 1 gun battle with troops in the West Bank town of Jericho, the army said.
Gelita died in an Israeli hospital.
Israeli forces across the country were on high alert following vows by the militant Islamic group Hamas to avenge the killing of 15 Palestinians in an army raid on the Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
