2 shot in attack near Ramallah

Israelis driving near Ramallah lightly wounded from Palestinian fire.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
pal masked gunmen 298 ap (photo credit: AP)
pal masked gunmen 298 ap
(photo credit: AP)
Two Israelis were lightly wounded when Palestinians opened fire on them as they were driving near Ramallah on Friday evening.
The shooting attack occurred near the area where settlers allegedly shot dead a 16-year-old Palestinian youth on Thursday night after some Palestinian youths hurled stones at their car. Palestinian sources suggested Friday's shooting incident may have been prompted by the killing of the teenager, as well as high tension in the area.
IDF and police forces were searching for the Palestinian shooters Friday night.
Civilian Authority officials contacted the Palestinian Authority and called on them to calm down the area, clarifying that "Israel takes a severe view of the incident," Israel Radio reported.
A faction of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, claimed responsibility for  the shooting attack on Saturday. Members of the faction said the attack was in response to the death of the Palestinian teen.
The IDF on Friday confirmed that the Palestinian teen's body had been found. They added, however, that the cause of death remained unclear at this point.
A joint Israeli-Palestinian task force was set up to investigate the circumstances of the boy's death.
The heightened tension may also relate to the fact of Palestinians were commemorating “Nakba” (Catastrophe) Day – the establishment of the state of Israel - on Friday.