The Israeli army has suspended an officer of a unit that killed two Palestinian teenage boys during a demonstration in the occupied West Bank last night.
"The company commander was suspended in light of errors - both in the way he conducted himself and in the way in which he led his force," the Israeli army said.
It added the officer had been removed from active duty pending results of a full inquiry.
Two army jeeps entered Beit Laqia village to confront locals protesting plans to erect a section of Israel's controversial West Bank barrier there. The troops opened fire and killed the 14- and 15-year-old boys when protesters approached their vehicles.
The army claimed a unit of six soldiers resorted to live fire after non-lethal means, including rubber bullets and teargas, failed to disperse a crowd of 300 protesters. A member of the Israeli unit was wounded lightly.
"When the Palestinians still continued to attack, the commander fired at the legs of one of the rioters and then at the ground near the rioters, in order to avoid firing towards any of the other Palestinians," the Israeli army claimed.
Human rights groups regularly accuse Israeli troops of using excessive force against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza and say few abuses are prosecuted. The Israeli army insists its troops do their utmost to avoid civilian casualties.
