MEVO DOTAN, West Bank, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- An armed Palestinian was shot and killed Thursday by Israeli soldiers after he opened fire on troops at a West Bank post, the army said.
A terrorist armed with a Kalashnikov rifle opened fire on soldiers manning a position near Mevo Dotan, near Jenin in the West Bank.
Soldiers of the Kfir Brigade shot and killed the shooter. Sappers were deployed to ensure he was not carrying any explosives the army said.
The army said it would investigate.
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Military officials said the shooting marks an escalation in the West Bank.
"Recently, there have been several cases in which Palestinians approached checkpoints in an attempt to carry out attacks against IDF soldiers. However, in this case -- for the first time in a long time -- the Palestinian was armed and had fired his weapon," a military official told Ynetnews.com
Motti Emor, the security officer at the Mevo Dotan settlement, said the incident should set off warning lights.
"This incident should turn on a red light. We and the army should be concerned," he told Israel Radio.
Just weeks ago soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian carrying pipe bombs at the Bekaot checkpoint in the northern Jordan Valley.
Wednesday, the Israeli Army said it had discharged a soldier involved in the fatal shooting of a 65-year-old Hebron resident during a raid by soldiers searching for Hamas suspects that had been released by the Palestinian Authority.
A statement released by the army said an investigation into the incident revealed one of the soldiers fired "in accordance with the Israel Defense Forces rules of engagement," but a second soldier also opened fire and acted in an "unprofessional manner." The army said it deeply regretted the incident.
