Israeli police kill Palestinian laborer who entered volatile east Jerusalem illegally

Israeli police kill Palestinian laborer

JERUSALEM — Israeli police have killed a Palestinian laborer who entered east Jerusalem illegally, igniting new tensions in the volatile sector of the city.

The circumstances of the pre-dawn shooting are unclear.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says the man was among a group of illegal workers who had sneaked over Israel’s West Bank separation barrier to enter Jerusalem on Sunday.

Rosenfeld says the men ignored police orders to stop and fled, but an officer caught up with the 37-year-old Palestinian.

Rosenfeld says the man was shot after trying to grab the officer’s gun. He says it wasn’t clear whether the officer fired or his gun discharged accidentally.

The B’tselem human rights group, which sent a field representative to the scene, quotes a witness as saying there was no scuffle.