A Palestinian man was shot to death Wednesday in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.
An Israeli soldier, who was at the scene, shot the man, after he had suspected the latter planned to stab an Israeli policeman.
According to the investigation, an Israeli police unit was securing a bus of Jewish worshippers Wednesday on their way to Rachel's Tomb (Bilal ibn Rabah mosque). Near the Tomb, a policeman got off the bus and started walking towards the back of it, in order to secure the passengers.
At this point, according to the reports, the Palestinian man started running towards the bus. The policeman, who spotted him, called on him to stop. At this stage, according to the reports, the Palestinian took out a knife and continued running towards the policeman. A soldier who was nearby noticed the developments and shot the Palestinian man to death.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinians held demonstrations in the West Bank city of Ramallah Wednesday against Palestinian Prime Minister Abu Mazen.
The demonstrators marched in Ramallah towards the Muqata and handed Palestinian President Yasser Arafat a petition, in which they called on the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) to issue a vote of no-confidence in Abu Mazen's government on the grounds it is "giving in to external pressures and is not serving the interests of the Palestinian people". (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
