JERUSALEM – Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian teenager during a raidin the occupied West Bank overnight, the Palestinian health ministry saidon Monday.

Arkan Mizher, 15, was shot in the chest during clashes in Dheisheh refugeecamp in Bethlehem, in the southern West Bank, the ministry said.

His funeral was due to take place later Monday.

The Israeli army said its forces had entered the camp and arrested twopeople suspected of “terror activity”.

“During the operation, a violent riot was instigated in which Palestinianshurled rocks and threw firebombs and grenades at (Israeli) soldiers,” thearmy said in a statement.

Soldiers fired live rounds at the protesters, the statement added.

The camp is in a part of the West Bank supposedly under full Palestiniancontrol but the Israeli army regularly carries out raids in such areas.

It says the operations are necessary to arrest suspects, but they oftenspark violent clashes with young Palestinians. – APP/AFP