Palestinian teenager killed by Israeli troops in West Bank as Jerusalem tensions continue

A 16-year-old Palestinian was killed by the Israeli military as clashes broke out between the army and protesters in a West Bank village on Tuesday, said Palestinian officials.

Laith Abu Naim, identified by the Palestinian Health Ministry, was killed by a shot to the head.

The Israeli military have denied using live fire amid what they described as a "violent riot" in which dozens of Palestinians rolled burning tyres and threw stones at army officers.

An Israeli military patrol entered the village of Mughayer said the mayor, Faraj al-Nasan, and local teenagers directed stones at them. Nasan added that the soldiers were in military vehicles, and that the teenagers posed to no threat to them when one of them opened fire.

The Israeli army said troops responded with "riot dispersal means", tear gas and stun grenades and said they were investigating the death.

The death of the Palestinian teenager brings the death toll to 18 of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in confrontations since the US President Donald Trump's decision on December 6 to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Palestinians have clashed with Israeli troops across the West Bank and along the Gaza border since Trump's announcement to recognise the contested capital and move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv.

Gaza has been largely calm since the 2014 war, but since Trump's move it has seen violent protests by Palestinians, and exchange of cross-border fire.

Jerusalem's status has been a central issue in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Trump's pivotal move drew widespread criticism from US allies in the Arab and Muslim world, as well as in Europe and beyond.

Israel regards Jerusalem as its capital, a position nearly the entire world rejects saying its status should be determined in peace talks with the Palestinians.

Under international law East Jerusalem is considered occupied Palestinian territory.