Conflict
Palestinian gunman kills three Israelis near West Bank settlement
Jerusalem: Three Israelis have been shot dead by a Palestinian at the entrance to a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank, Israeli police say.
Israeli media identified the attacker as 37-year-old Nimer Mahmoud Ahmad Jabbar, a father of four from the Palestinian village of Beit Surik. The man is said to have a valid work permit allowing him to enter Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Police say he pulled out a gun as he waited to enter Har Adar along with Palestinian labourers and opened fire on police and security guards.
“A terrorist who arrived at the rear gate of Har Adar along with Palestinian labourers entering the settlement, pulled out a weapon and opened fire at the force at the site,” Israeli police said.
“Three Israelis were killed in the attack, another was wounded and the gunman was neutralised,” they added, a PTI report said.
According to The Jerusalem Post one of the killed was a border police officer First Sergeant Salomon Gabaria (20) from Beer Yaakov and the other two were private security guards. Their names are still under a gag order.
Police later said the Palestinian had died of his wounds.
The incident, at a settlement northwest of Jerusalem that lies near several Palestinian villages, comes nearly two years after a wave of unrest broke out.
The violence had greatly subsided in recent months.
At least 50 Israelis and five foreign nationals have been killed in stabbing, shooting and car-ramming attacks since October, 2015.
More than 255 Palestinians – most of them attackers, Israel says – have also been killed in that period. Others have been killed in clashes with Israeli troops.
Israeli authorities say that most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks.
Others were shot dead in protests and clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip, the report added.
