|
|
| By: Israel Insider staff and partners |
| Published: March 20, 2005 |
| |
A Palestinian was shot and critically wounded by an Israeli border policeman near Jerusalem Sunday, a police spokesman and Israeli rescue services said, the second violent incident between the sides in several hours.
Earlier in the morning, three Israeli soldiers and a policeman were wounded in the West Bank, two seriously, when Palestinian gunmen opened fire on them while they were escorting Israeli police searching for stolen cars.
The military spokeswoman said Palestinian gunmen opened fire on the Israeli soldiers and a police contingent they were escorting in the al-Omri refugee camp near the West Bank city of Ramallah. One policeman was lightly wounded in the incident, she said.
The spokeswoman said the group was targeted by Palestinian militants rather than criminals trying to interfere with the police activity.
An official defense source told IMRA this morning that the IDF has not set up any roadblocks on the route from the Ramallah area to Jericho to prevent
the Palestinians who attacked Israeli forces this morning from reaching refuge in Jericho.
Israel removed the checkpoint between Jericho and the
Ramallah area as part of the March 16 security handover of Jericho to Palestinian control. Under the current arrangement the shooters not only would enjoy refuge if they reach Jericho but can even be recruited to the PA security forces and put on the PA's payroll.
The incidents followed a declaration Thursday that militant Palestinian groups would support a de facto cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinians.
Border Police spokesman Oren Goanias said the Palestinian was shot after he attempted to steal a weapon from a border policeman at a checkpoint between Jerusalem and the nearby West Bank town of Bethlehem.
He said the incident occurred during a routine border police check for illegal Palestinian workers attempting to enter Israel.
A spokesman for Israel's Magen David rescue service said the Palestinian had been evacuated to a Jerusalem hospital in critical condition.
Since the election of Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian leader in January, Israeli-Palestinian violence has dropped sharply, with no fatalities so far registered during March.
The AP contributed to this report. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
