Israeli troops at a border crossing on Monday shot dead a Palestinian-Jordanian judge who allegedly tried to snatch a soldier's weapon, prompting Amman and the Palestinian Authority to demand an investigation.
The shooting took place today morning at the Allenby Bridge crossing between the West Bank and Jordan, with the Israeli military saying troops had opened fire after a man tried to snatch a weapon from one of its soldiers.
The Western-backed Palestinian Authority sharply condemned the incident and Amman summoned the Israeli charge d'affaires to protest, demanding an "immediate investigation."
An Israeli army statement said "a Palestinian attempted to seize the weapon of a soldier at the Allenby Bridge crossing from Jordan".
"In response the forces at the scene opened fire towards the suspect. A hit was identified."
Palestinian security officials identified the man as 38-year-old Raed Zeiter, and Amman confirmed he also held Jordanian nationality.
A Jordanian security official confirmed to AFP that Zeiter worked as a judge in Amman and had left for the West Bank early on Monday. Jordan's justice ministry said he worked at a magistrates court in the capital.
Nazmi Muhanna, the Palestinian official in charge of border crossings, told AFP they were questioning around 50 people who had been with Zeiter on the bus carrying travellers from the Jordanian side to the Israeli side of the crossing.
"We are investigating with all the witnesses who were on the same bus. We will verify everything," he said.
"There are no surveillance cameras there so we cannot get to the truth without the witnesses who were on that bus."
Jordan's foreign minister summoned the Israeli charge d'affaires to "strongly condemn" the shooting and demand an immediate probe, a statement said.
