Israeli soldier kills suspected Palestinian car thief

An Israeli soldier killed a Palestinian man who was attempting to steal a vehicle in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, Israeli police said.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the soldier shot the man, in his 20s, fearing he might be armed as police chased him and another suspect who tried to steal a vehicle at a supermarket outside a Jewish settlement bloc near Bethlehem.

Samri pointed out that the man later died of his wounds.

Violence has escalated in Israel and the Palestinian territories since June last year.