Palestinian teen killed in suspected revenge

A Palestinian teenager from annexed east Jerusalem was kidnapped and killed early Wednesday in a suspected act of revenge for the murder of three Israeli teens, army radio reported.

A Palestinian teenager from annexed east Jerusalem was kidnapped and killed early Wednesday in a suspected act of revenge for the murder of three Israeli teens, army radio reported.

The radio said the youth was seen being forced into a car a neighbourhood in the Arab eastern half of the city and his body was found several hours later in another area of the city, describing it as a "suspected revenge attack."

were snatched from a road in the southern West Bank on June 12 and their bodies were found on Monday in a murder Israel has blamed on the Islamist Hamas movement. They were buried on Tuesday after a day of emotionally-charged funerals, ending a story which has gripped the nation.

Israel police said they were investigating reports of a kidnapping and confirmed finding a body but refused to say whether the two incidents were connected.

"In the early hours of Wednesday morning, police received a report of a person being forced into a car in Beit Hanina," police spokeswoman Luba Samri told AFP, referring to a well-heeled east Jerusalem neighbourhood.

"Within an hour, a body was found in Jerusalem that has still not been identified. We are looking to see if there is a connection between the two incidents."

Quoting eye witnesses, army radio said a black car had stopped by a youth who was hitchhiking and he was forced inside. The car then took off.

Some time later, the family of the youth, who is understood to be around 16, reported him missing, it said.

The body was discovered in a forest in west Jerusalem, the report said.