Palestinian teenager shot dead in clash

A Palestinian teenager was shot dead in a stone-throwing clash with Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip today.

Ahmed Attar, 15, died after being shot in the chest during a confrontation between stone throwers and Israeli soldiers in central Gaza, doctors said. A second Palestinian youth suffered a bullet wound to the thigh.

Three Palestinian bodyguards were wounded early today in what the Palestinians called a pre-planned Israeli attack.

However, the Israelis said the Palestinians in the convoy opened fire, provoking the Israeli troops to shoot back.

Palestinian security chief Mohammed Dahlan, whose silver Mercedes was hit by seven bullets, described the shooting an Israeli assassination attempt.

However, Israeli army spokesman, Lieutenant Olivier Rafowicz, said a preliminary investigation indicated that shots had first been fired from a Palestinian jeep at the Israeli position.

The shooting took place at the Erez Crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Dahlan and other senior Palestinian security officials were returning to Gaza after meeting Israeli security officials at the home of the US ambassador to Israel.