Palestinian killed in Israeli checkpoint gunfight

A Palestinian militant was shot dead today after he breaking through an Israeli army checkpoint and knocking down a soldier, Israeli police and the army said.

The incident came less than 24 hours after a Palestinian woman blew herself up in central Jerusalem killing one Israeli and injuring dozens of others.

The Palestinian came from the West Bank city of Qalqilya and drove through an Israeli army checkpoint, knocking down a soldier and causing him moderate injuries, the army spokesman’s office said.

The Palestinian, who was driving a Subaru with Palestinian Authority licence plates, escaped and drove into the nearby Israeli city of Petah-Tikva, where it collided with - or rammed - a beige Volvo.

When the two occupants of the Volvo got out to inspect the damage, the Palestinian jumped into their driver’s seat and escaped with the Volvo.

In the Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat-Gan, the Volvo knocked down a policeman, dragging him for a few yards before driving off through the morning traffic, police spokesman Yossi Avneri said.

After driving for a few hundred yards, the Volvo stopped and the Palestinian opened fire with a pistol at civilians, wounding one. Police returned fire, killing the Palestinian, Avneri said.