Anger at West Bank boy's funeral

Protesters vowed to continue their struggle against the Israeli occupation

Large crowds have attended the funeral of a Palestinian boy shot dead during a confrontation with Israeli troops in Nilin in the West Bank on Tuesday.

Palestinian officials say 12-year-old Ahmed Musa was killed by a live bullet fired by an Israeli border policeman.

Israeli media reports say an initial police investigation showed an officer used live rounds against protesters.

About 3,000 people took part in the funeral march from Ramallah to Nilin shouting slogans denouncing Israel.

Crowds chanted: "O martyr, rest in peace, we shall continue the struggle" and other slogans.

Eyewitnesses say a dozen Israeli army vehicles were parked at the entrance to the village and troops fired a tear gas grenades to disperse the crowd.

Controversy

Ahmed Moussa died during a protest against Israel's barrier in the occupied West Bank.

Regional Governor Said Abu Ali said an autopsy showed Ahmed Moussa had been struck by a single bullet from an M16 assault rifle which entered his forehead and exited the back of his head.

The planned route for Israel's barrier threatens to separate Nilin from hundreds of hectares of it olive groves. In addition, the Israeli army is replacing the main access road to the village with a tunnel under military control.

Daily demonstrations there frequently turn into clashes between stone-throwers and Israeli soldiers and border police, who usually use tear gas and rubber-coated bullets rather than live ammunition.

Protesters have been trying to disrupt construction of the Israeli barrier

Nilin was already in the news for a recent controversial incident when a soldier was filmed firing a rubber-coated bullet at a bound and blindfolded detainee from close range.

Israeli officials said they would deploy anti-riot units at Nilin in future to deal with the protests.

Palestinian presidential aide Rafiq Husseini, who attended the funeral, is quoted saying the shooting was "truly a crime against a child".

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfled said Palestinian protesters had been throwing stones and "the unfortunate incident that led to the death" of Ahmed Moussa was being investigated.

Israel says the half-built barrier, projected to stretch for 723 kilometres (454 miles) around and within the West Bank, is needed for security.

Palestinians say it is intended to grab large parts of the West Bank, which was occupied by Israel in the 1967 war.