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Israeli Soldier Killed by Palestinians in Supermarket was US Citizen


Israeli troops gather near a supermarket that was the scene of a stabbing near the West Bank city of Ramallah, Feb. 18, 2016.
Israeli troops gather near a supermarket that was the scene of a stabbing near the West Bank city of Ramallah, Feb. 18, 2016.

The off-duty Israeli soldier stabbed to death by two Palestinian teens in a West Bank supermarket has been identified as Tuvya Weisman, an American citizen.

He was the second American to die in a six-month wave of stabbing attacks by Palestinians against Israeli citizens.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the United States condemned the killing "in the strongest possible terms."

"There is no justification for terrorism," he said. "This horrific incident again underscores the need for all sides to reject violence and urgently take steps to restore calm, reduce tensions and bring an immediate end to the violence."

The two 14-year-olds stabbed Weisman to death and wounded another shopper Thursday inside the crowded supermarket before being shot and wounded by an armed civilian.

Six months of Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians, police and soldiers have left nearly 30 Israelis dead, along with one other American and an Eritrean.

But police and soldiers have killed more than 160 Palestinians who were attempting to stab Jews or run them down with cars.

Israel accuses Palestinian leaders of inciting young Palestinians to violence.

But Palestinians say they are fed up with poor economic opportunities, weak leadership and a dim outlook for peace.

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