Palestinian mourners carry the body of Ahmad Kuleib during his funeral in Hares

GAZA CITY, April 30 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Israeli occupation forces admitted killing a Palestinian academic in the West Bank last week, after earlier claims that he was a Hamas activist.

The Israeli army said Thursday, April 29, it had investigated the shooting of Yasser Abu Leimun in a field in Taluza village on April 23, and determined that Leimun was not a member of the resistance faction.

The Israeli army "regrets Abu-Leimun’s death," it said in a statement, carried by The New York Times Friday, April 30.

That day of shooting, Israeli army officials said they had killed an armed member of Hamas, but his family had vehemently denied this.

His widow, Dalal Jawabreh, 21, said she was in the field with her husband when Israeli forces jumped out from behind a tree and started shooting.

"When they saw us, they started opening fire on Yasser randomly," she said, in response to the statement’s claims that her husband was caught in crossfire with activists.

"There were no strangers or wanted people in the area," she was quoted by the American daily.

Palestinians often complain that many of those killed and wounded by the Israeli occupation forces are not involved in hostile activities against the occupation, as the Israeli army claims, the NY Times reported.

‘Mistake’

Palestinian civilians bear the brunt of occupation brutality

Leimun’s relatives and colleagues at the Arab American University in Jenin, where he had taught courses in hospital administration for the past two years, described him as a doting father and husband with no ties to resistance groups.

Waleed Deeb, president of the Arab American University in Jenin, said of the army's statement: "The least that they can do is to admit that it was a mistake. I'm sure it's not enough for the family".

Leimun earned his M.B.A., with a specialty in health care management, at Philadelphia University, in Pennsylvania.

Mary Sheila McDonald, the assistant dean for graduate business programs there, said he excelled in his studies, according to the daily.

Stone-Thrower

In another related development, Israeli military officials said reserve forces shot and killed a Palestinian they spotted throwing a stone at an Israeli vehicle traveling on a road near the West Bank settlement of Ariel Thursday night.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that Palestinian security officials identified the man as Ahmad Kuleib, 22, and said he was shot during an Israeli thrust into his village, Hares, which is near Ariel.

The Israel Radio quoted the army spokesperson saying that soldiers aimed their shots towards the Palestinian's legs, alleging the man was hit in the upper body when he ducked to avoid shots.

His death brings to 3,948 the number of people killed since the Palestinian Intifadah against occupation broke out in September 2000, including 2,978 Palestinians and 900 Israelis, according to an AFP tally.

The Israeli army has a chequered record of indiscriminately targeting Palestinian civilians especially children during the long-standing occupation of Palestinian lands.

On Sunday, March 7, a 7-year-old boy  was killed in cold blood by an Israeli bullet in the neck during a raid in Gaza Strip.

Another boy was killed in his school courtyard  in southern Gaza strip during an Israeli raid early Thursday, March 4.