‘Palestinian teen dies of injuries in Israeli clash’

RAMALLAH — A Palestinian teenager died on Wednesday of a gunshot wound sustained a week ago during a confrontation with Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, hospital officials said.

The officials at Ramallah Hospital said Ali Safi, 17, had been shot through the chest. Witnesses said soldiers had responded to stone-throwing at a protest against a barrier going up between a Jewish settlement and a refugee camp near Ramallah.

The Israeli military had no immediate comment.

The incident came amid rising tensions in the West Bank after Israel froze the transfer of funds to the Palestinians in a diplomatic dispute and also following this month's re-election of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel's withholding of tax revenues it collects for the Palestinians has crippled the Palestinian economy since January.

The Israeli military has said the move is fuelling violence in the West Bank and this month held a surprise training drill for its forces in the area.

Israel said it halted the funds in protest over the Palestinian Authority joining the International Criminal Court. When its membership takes effect on April 1, it can file war crimes charges against Israel.