A Palestinian man has been shot dead by Israeli troops after they fired live bullets to break up clashes between Palestinians and Jewish settlers in the West Bank city of Nablus.

The victim, identified as 35-year-old Issam Badran, was shot in the neck and died of his injuries shortly after being admitted to hospital. Another Palestinian was also wounded in the Israeli attack.

Witnesses say some 200 armed Israeli settlers from the Esh Kodesh outpost attacked the Palestinian village of Qusra on Friday, smashing the windows of several houses, throwing stones and burning and uprooting trees.

The villagers retaliated by throwing stones back at them.

Israeli troops arrived at the scene shortly afterwards and fired live bullets, tear gas and rubber bullets to try and end the clashes, killing a Palestinian and injuring another. Settlers also fired their weapons.

Many Palestinians also suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation. The injured were taken by Israeli soldiers.

Meanwhile, an eight-year-old Palestinian boy has been critically injured after being hit by a vehicle driven by an Israeli settler in the West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron).

Witnesses say the driver has escaped the scene and that Israeli soldiers have arrested two of the boy’s relatives instead of looking for the Jewish driver.

The attacks come ahead of the Palestinian Authority’s planned statehood bid at the United Nations. Israel strongly opposes the move.

Supporting Tel Aviv’s position, Washington says it will veto the Palestinian statehood bid at the UN Security Council.

(Press TV)