On Monday, a Palestinian man drove his car into a crowd on a Jerusalem street, injuring five people before being shot dead by a passerby, according to Israeli police. The incident occurred just hours after Israeli troops killed a Palestinian during a raid in the occupied West Bank.
The ambulance service in Israel reported that they treated five people who were injured, including a 70-year-old man who was in a serious but stable condition. Multiple videos obtained showed a man lying stretched out on the hood of a car that was stopped in the middle of the road as shots rang out.
Deliberate attack on civilians
Speaking at the start of ceremonies commemorating Israel's military dead, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to the driver of the car as a terrorist. He said that the 30-year-old man from East Jerusalem had tried to hurt civilians.
"This terrorist attack, in this place, at this time, reminds us that the land of Israel and the State of Israel were acquired through many trials and tribulations," he said.
Surge in Israeli-Palestinian violence
Israeli-Palestinian violence has surged this year, with frequent military raids and violence by Israeli settlers amid a spate of Palestinian attacks. According to reports, more than 90 Palestinians and at least 19 Israelis and foreigners have been killed since January.
Palestinian man killed during raid
Earlier on Monday, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man during a raid on the Aqabat Jabr refugee camp near the West Bank city of Jericho. "During the activity, two suspects were spotted fleeing the scene. The soldiers responded with live fire. Hits were identified," the army said. It did not elaborate on why the two Palestinians were targeted.
The official Palestinian news agency WAFA quoted the governor of Jericho as saying that a man was fatally shot and three others wounded by the troops. The statement from the governor said the army had not handed over the man's body to his family.
Arrests in the West Bank
Separately, the Palestinian Prisoner's Association advocacy group said Israeli security forces had carried out 30 arrests in the West Bank overnight and early on Monday.
West Bank and East Jerusalem conflict
Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Palestinians want as the core of a future independent state, during the 1967 Middle East war. Israel has since annexed East Jerusalem in a move not recognized internationally. The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has been ongoing for decades, with both sides claiming the right to the land.
