Palestinian shot dead in West Bank clashes

Twenty-two children and four women were among the 101 Palestinians killed in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, the ministry said in a statement, Xinhua reported.

Yehya Taha was shot in the head by Israeli troops and died later, according to Palestinian Health Ministry spokesman Mohammed Awawdeh.

The human rights activists questioned the Israeli forces about the respective name and age of the two boys, one of which was only twelve years of age.

A Palestinian official, who asked not to be identified, said Kerry had asked Abbas to try to achieve at least a week of calm to persuade Netanyahu to pursue confidence-building measures. No Israelis were reportedly injured. The attacker was shot and killed during the attack, police said.

Ninety-eight Palestinians and 21 Israelis have been killed.

The death brings to 95 the number of Palestinians killed in violence since October 1, including an Arab Israeli.

Israel says the outburst of violence is the result of incitement by Palestinian political and religious leaders.

He added that the position of Athens regarding the Palestinian state was not affected by the bilateral relations with Israel and the Israeli leadership was informed about Athens’ stance on the issue. The West Bank stabbing was the latest incident in almost two months of knife, gun and car-ramming attacks by Palestinians and came a day after a visit by US Secretary of State John Kerry failed to produce any breakthrough.

Israel will construct a smart security fence between the West Bank city of Hebron and Israel proper within a year, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon told the Knesset on Wednesday, according to the Times of Israel. Most Palestinian clashes with Israeli troops occur at checkpoints spread throughout the West Bank. For the Israelis, that means holding off on the construction of new settlements in lands the Palestinians seek for their future state.

An Israeli official said government officials, however, have rejected the military’s proposals.

The bill, announced on parliament’s website, follows a law adopted in early November to toughen penalties against Palestinians for throwing rocks at civilians and security personnel.