An Israeli was killed in the Palestinian territories, where violent clashes erupted after Muslim prayers on Friday, which has been a standing "day of rage" during the two-month Palestinian uprising, reported AFP.
The man, a civilian employed by the Israeli army, was driving near the Arab village of Awsarin south of Nablus when he was shot in the stomach, said the agency.
Meanwhile, a bomb exploded in the path of an Israeli bus near the flashpoint southern West Bank town of Hebron on Friday, but no one was injured, police told AFP.
The bus, which was travelling on a bypass road used by Jewish settlers east of Hebron, was damaged by the explosion, they said.
Israeli police Chief Yehuda Wilk described it as a powerful bomb and said it was lucky there were no casualties.
In Hebron itself, clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians also broke out, but without immediate reports of casualties.
In Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers guarding a Jewish shrine in the Palestinian-run city shot six Palestinians bombarding them with stones, medical officials said.
In Ramallah, five Palestinians were injured when Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated steel bullets at them. The clashes there intensified after a march of some 3,000 Palestinians calling for an end to Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
In the Gaza Strip, medical officials said two Palestinians were wounded in clashes at the Karni crossing point and at Khan Yunis near the Gush Katif Jewish settlement.
Two Palestinians also died Friday from wounds suffered during clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in previous days, hospital officials said.
Firas Sabahneh, 25, had been shot in stomach by Israeli troops in the northern West Bank town of Jenin. He was taken to hospital in Nablus, they said, although the circumstances of the incident were not immediately clear.
Majdi Ali Abed, 15, also died after being shot in the head a week ago by Israeli soldiers during clashes at the Karni crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an Israeli civilian bus travelling near Netzarim in the Gaza Strip, reported the Jerusalem Post Friday.
Shots were also reported fired at the Rafiah Yam settlement in the southern Gaza Strip, said the Paper.
Soldiers returned fire in both incidents, the paper added saying there were no reports of injuries in either event -- (Several Sources)
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