Netanyahu vows 'fight to death'

Fresh clashes erupted yesterday in the West Bank and Israel's military shot dead a 13-year-old Palestinian boy after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged a crackdown following attacks that killed four Israelis.

The spike in violence in the West Bank and east Jerusalem has led to international calls for calm, with concerns the unrest could spin out of control and memories of previous Palestinian uprisings still fresh.

As part of security measures following the recent attacks, Jerusalem's Old City remained closed to Palestinians for a second straight day.

Yesterday afternoon, Israel's army shot dead the 13-year-old Palestinian during clashes at a refugee camp near Bethlehem.

The teen was hit in the chest, making him the second Palestinian killed by Israeli fire in 24 hours, but further details of the incident were unclear.

On Sunday night, an 18-year-old Palestinian was killed during clashes in Tulkarem in the West Bank. Dozens of others have been wounded.

"He is not the first martyr, nor will he be the last, but he died for his homeland," his father Othman Suleiman told AFP at his son's funeral yesterday, attended by hundreds.

Palestinian youths throwing stones and firebombs have faced off against Israeli security forces using both live rounds and rubber bullets. Jewish settlers have also clashed with Palestinians.

The rioting has followed three attacks in recent days that have killed four Israelis and wounded several others, including a two-year-old child.

Late Sunday, Netanyahu pledged "a fight to the death against Palestinian terror" after meeting security chiefs immediately following his return from the United States.

Netanyahu, facing pressure from right-wing members of his governing coalition to respond forcefully, announced a package of new measures "to prevent terror and deter and punish the attackers".