JERUSALEM, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli soldier who was killed during clashes with Palestinians in the West Bank last week was hit by "friendly fire", the spokesperson of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Tuesday.

    According to the result of an IDF probe, 20-year-old Noam Adin Rechter-Levy was killed by an errant bullet fired by his company's deputy commander during a struggle with Palestinians in Bir Zeit, north of the West Bank city of Ramallah.

    The deputy commander was discharged due to the "operational and command failure" and an additional commanding officer involved in the incident was removed from leading any military operations for the next two years, IDF spokesperson said in a statement.

    Rechter-Levy is the military's first casualty in past three-and-a-half months. The latest fatal incident took place on Jan. 27,several days after the conclusion of IDF's Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip, after an explosive device blew up near an Israeli force moving close to the Kissufim border crossing.

    An Israeli officer was killed in that explosion, and three soldiers were injured.