Palestinian killed by Israeli soldiers in West Bank

Ramallah, Feb 13 A Palestinian was killed, and five were injured early on Monday by Israeli soldiers during clashes in the northern West Bank city of Nablus, Palestinian medics and eyewitnesses said.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Nablus said that Amir Bustami, 21, died in the hospital due to severe injuries after being shot by Israeli soldiers, Xinhua news agency reported.

It said in a statement that the five others were moderately injured during clashes between dozens of Palestinian young men and the Israeli armed forces.

Palestinian eyewitnesses in Nablus told Xinhua that an Israeli troop stormed the city at predawn and surrounded a building to arrest Palestinian suspects, during which gunfire could be heard all over the city.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that its security forces entered Nablus to arrest Palestinian suspects over attacks against Israel, and have seized five of them.

The IDF confirmed a shootout between soldiers and the wanted persons took place "during the attempt to arrest the suspects", and that two M-16 weapons were confiscated during searches of the building.

Tension has been mounting in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, mainly after the formation of the Israeli right-wing government headed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.