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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Judge shot dead at border after trying to strangle soldier, Israeli army says | Judge shot dead at border after trying to strangle soldier, Israeli army says |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Jordanian-Palestinian judge who was shot dead by Israeli troops at the Jordan border tried to snatch a weapon and strangle a soldier, the Israeli army said on Tuesday. The incident occurred on Monday, when troops opened fire at the Allenby Bridge border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan, killing 38-year-old Raed Zeiter – a Palestinian with Jordanian citizenship. Israeli military police said he tried to snatch a weapon from a soldier. | |
| But Palestinian witnesses said the man was shot following an argument over a cigarette in an incident that prompted a furious response from the Palestinian Authority and Amman. | But Palestinian witnesses said the man was shot following an argument over a cigarette in an incident that prompted a furious response from the Palestinian Authority and Amman. |
| In a statement, the Israeli military said it had conducted a comprehensive investigation that included extensive questioning of witnesses by security personnel. | In a statement, the Israeli military said it had conducted a comprehensive investigation that included extensive questioning of witnesses by security personnel. |
| They said Zeiter had first charged at the soldiers with a metal pole, prompting them to fire at his legs. When he began strangling a soldier they shot him dead. | They said Zeiter had first charged at the soldiers with a metal pole, prompting them to fire at his legs. When he began strangling a soldier they shot him dead. |
| "The preliminary conclusion of the investigation indicates that the terrorist attacked the soldier. He charged at the soldiers shouting, 'Allahu Akbar' (God is greatest), with a metal pole, and then attempted to seize the soldier's weapon prompting the soldiers to respond by firing towards his lower extremities," it said. | "The preliminary conclusion of the investigation indicates that the terrorist attacked the soldier. He charged at the soldiers shouting, 'Allahu Akbar' (God is greatest), with a metal pole, and then attempted to seize the soldier's weapon prompting the soldiers to respond by firing towards his lower extremities," it said. |
| "The suspect then began to strangle a soldier and the force resorted to using live fire once again." | "The suspect then began to strangle a soldier and the force resorted to using live fire once again." |
| It said the investigation, which is being handled by the military police, was ongoing. | It said the investigation, which is being handled by the military police, was ongoing. |
| Later, the office of the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, issued a more conciliatory statement saying that Israel was committed to its peace treaty with Jordan and would establish an Israeli-Jordanian team to look into what had happened. | |
| "Israel regrets the death of Judge Raed Zeiter yesterday at the King Hussein (Allenby) bridge and expresses its sympathies to the people and government of Jordan," the statement said. | |
| A Jordanian security official confirmed to AFP that Zeiter worked as a judge in Amman. Jordan's justice ministry said he worked at a magistrates court in the capital. | A Jordanian security official confirmed to AFP that Zeiter worked as a judge in Amman. Jordan's justice ministry said he worked at a magistrates court in the capital. |
| Zeiter, 38, was of Palestinian origins and was buried in the West Bank city of Nablus on Tuesday. | |
| Several hours after Zeiter's death, troops shot dead a 20-year-old Palestinian near the West Bank city of Ramallah. The army said he had been throwing stones at soldiers. | Several hours after Zeiter's death, troops shot dead a 20-year-old Palestinian near the West Bank city of Ramallah. The army said he had been throwing stones at soldiers. |