Palestine: A young Palestinian was shot and killed , another was injured on Friday near the city of al-Bireh in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement.

The victim died of an abdominal injury, while another Palestinian man was moderately wounded, according to the ministry.

Mohammad Jibril Rummaneh, 17,  was killed and another passenger injured after Israeli soldiers opened fire at their car near  al-Bireh. Both were taken by the army after the shooting, reported Al-Wafa news agency.

The Red Crescent said the army did not allow its ambulances to provide aid to the two after they were shot.

In tresponse to the killing, Palestinian shops were shuttered, businesses were closed and students stayed home today heeding a call by the Fatah movement for a general strike in Ramallah and al-Bireh.

Fatah also called for protests at the contact points with the Israeli army in the two neighboring cities.

Since January, 237 Palestinians have been killed. In the same perriod 33 Israelis have been killed.

[Photo: Family members at funeral of Asaad Jab’awi 21 & Abdurrahman Suleiman Abu Daghash 32 who were killed by Israeli forces at Nur Shams Refugee Camp in Tulkarm WB on 24 9 23. Photojournalsit: Issam Rimawi/ AA]