Israeli police kill Palestinian

Motorist shot as police demolish home of digger driver who killed three people.

Israel security forces Jerusalem home destruction
Heavy security was deployed for the demolition of Husam Dweiyat's home in East Jerusalem [EPA]

Heavy security had been deployed in the area while the part of the family home in which Husam Dweiyat had lived was demolished as a deterrent against future attacks on Israelis.

Last month, Dweiyat’s parents lost an appeal in Israel’s supreme court against the order to demolish part of their home, despite a military commission ruling in 2005 that such a policy was ineffective.

‘Terrorist attack’

Police described the incident, which also injured 20 people, on Jerusalem’s Jaffna Road on July 2 as a “terrorist attack”, but a lawyer for Dweiyat’s family say he was suffering from a mental illness.

Dweiyat was shot dead at the scene by police and a passerby.

Three weeks later, another Palestinian driving a digger injured 16 people in west Jerusalem before being killed by police.

In the latest such attack last month, a Palestinian was killed after his vehicle crushed a police car and hit other vehicles. 

Israeli officials said the demolitions were needed to stop the spate of apparent attacks, but human rights groups have called them collective punishment.

Source: News Agencies