JERUSALEM // A Palestinian teenager from annexed east Jerusalem was kidnapped and killed early Wednesday in a suspected act of revenge for the murder of three Israeli youths, army radio reported.
The killing sparked a wave of clashes in east Jerusalem where around 200 angry young Palestinians threw stones at police, who responded with sound bombs and rubber bullets, police said.
Quoting witnesses, the radio said the youth was seen being forced into a car in the Arab eastern half of the city.
A body was found shortly after in another part of the city, the radio report said. It described the incident as a “suspected revenge attack” for the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers from the southern West Bank on June 12.
Israel has blamed Hamas for their murders in an incident which has shocked the nation and triggered calls for revenge.
Several hours after they were buried on Tuesday, around 200 Israelis rampaged through Jerusalem, stopping cars and the light rail and shouting “Death to Arabs”, said police and witnesses. Police arrested 47 people.
Police spokeswoman Luba Samri confirmed they were investigating reports of a kidnapping and said they had found a body but refused to say whether the two incidents were connected. She did not give details on the victim’s identity.
“In the early hours of Wednesday morning, police received a report of a person being forced into a car in Beit Hanina,” Ms Samri said, referring to a well-heeled east Jerusalem neighbourhood.
“Within an hour, a body was found in Jerusalem that has still not been identified. We are looking to see if there is a connection between the two incidents.”
Quoting witnesses, army radio said a black car had stopped next to a youth who was hitchhiking and he was forced inside. The car then took off.
Some time later, the family of the Palestinian teenager, who is understood to be around 16, reported him missing.
The body was discovered in a forest in Givat Shaul in southwest Jerusalem.
* Agence France-Presse