An Israeli soldier in a settlement in the West Bank (illustration) -

Ariel Schalit / AP / SIPA

The UN called on Monday for the opening of an "independent investigation" after the death this weekend of a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank.

The 17-year-old died after a confrontation with Israeli soldiers.

His death was declared this Sunday morning.

He was allegedly hit in the back of the neck, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

According to an official of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the Israeli soldiers allegedly carried out "a monstrous act of brutality" by "clubbing" the young man.

No hits according to the Israeli army

The Israeli army admitted there was an incident between the youth and soldiers but denied the beatings.

Soldiers were reportedly sent overnight from Saturday to Sunday to Turmus Ayya, a village north of Ramallah, where people were reportedly paving an Israeli vehicle.

"The two suspects fled when the troops arrived," the IDF said.

“But one of the suspects apparently lost consciousness, collapsed and hit his head.

The suspect was not beaten by the soldiers.

"

A "rapid" and "independent" investigation called for

But according to a young Palestinian who witnessed the scene, the young victim would have been beaten "for five minutes".

"He was screaming constantly, then his voice suddenly stopped," the witness told a local channel.

Faced with these "conflicting versions", the UN envoy for the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov on Monday called for "the holding of a rapid and independent investigation into the events which led to the death of this boy".

On Twitter, the British consulate in Jerusalem asked Israel to "open an investigation" into the suspicious death.

Security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority has been at a standstill since last May.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas took this decision to protest against the now suspended Israeli plan to annex parts of the West Bank, territory occupied by the Israeli army since 1967.

World

Coronavirus: Senior Palestinian leader Saeb Erakat hospitalized in Israel

World

West Bank: Israel approves construction of over 2,000 new settlements

  • World

  • Israel

  • West Bank

  • Investigation

  • Palestine

  • UN