Teenage Palestinian girl shot after alleged attack

Condition of the 16-year-old unclear after she was shot in the West Bank after trying to stab Israelis, police say.

Palestinian
Since October 1, at least 119 Palestinians and 22 Israelis have been killed in near daily violence [Majdi Mohammed/AP]

A teenage Palestinian girl who allegedly attempted to stab Israelis in the West Bank was shot on Sunday, Israeli police said.

Lama al-Bakri, 16, attempted the stabbing attack near the southern West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arab before being shot, the police and army said. Her condition was unknown. 

“A stabbing attempt was thwarted,” the Israeli army said in a statement, without providing her medical status.

A spokeswoman for the Hadassah hospital said Bakri was transferred to a Jerusalem health facility, but she had no information on the girl’s condition.

 Anger among Palestinian teenagers

Tensions have been high between several hundred Israeli settlers – who live in the heart of Hebron under heavy military guard – and Palestinian residents in the West Bank.

Israeli officer questioned 

Israeli authorities on Sunday said they have opened an investigation into the actions of a police officer who fatally shot another 16-year-old Palestinian girl during a stabbing attack in Jerusalem last month.

In a statement, the justice ministry said it was looking into whether the officer used excessive force while stopping a stabbing attack by two teenage Palestinian girls.

In the November 23 incident, the 16-year-old girl, along with a 14-year-old accomplice, stabbed and wounded a 70-year-old man with scissors before they were shot by the officer.

The ministry said the attorney general had requested the investigation into claims that the officer shot the girl after she had already been restrained. During questioning, the officer said he believed the girl still posed a threat, the statement said.

The incident was filmed by a security camera and the footage was released to the media. The younger girl was wounded.


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Sunday’s announcement appeared to be the first official investigation into the actions of Israeli security forces during the unrest. Israel says its tactics are a legitimate response to stabbings and other attacks.

Since October 119 Palestinians, 22 Israelis, an American, and an Eritrean have been killed in the violence.

The latest violence began with a dispute over access to the site of the al-Aqsa Mosque – sacred to both Jews and Muslims – but has since escalated into what many fear may become another full-blown Palestinian uprising.

Palestinians are frustrated by Israel’s 48-year occupation and with peace talks going nowhere.

Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies