‘Hardline minister’ shot and wounded in Jerusalem

An Israeli man was shot and wounded today in an east Jerusalem hotel, police said.

Israel radio and army radio said the victim was the hard-line tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi.

The shooting took place at the Hyatt Hotel which is close to Palestinian neighbourhoods in east Jerusalem.

The victim was taken to Hadassa Hospital where his condition was described as serious.

He was wounded in the head, said Professor Shmuel Shapira, deputy director of the hospital.

Zeevi was among seven ultra-nationalists who pulled out of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s coalition government on Monday.

Their resignation was to take effect today.

The police said the circumstances of the shooting were not clear.

Police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said three shots were fired at Zeevi, who was at the entrance to his room in the hotel.

His wife, who had been with him in the dining room, went up to the room and found him lying in the corridor in serious condition, he said.