palestinian shot east jerusalem
© HaaretzClashes in Isawiyah on June 27, 2019.
A 20-year-old Palestinian man died on Thursday after he was shot by Israeli policemen at the entrance to the village of Isawiyah near East Jerusalem, Ramallah's Health Ministry reported.

The man has been identified as Mohammed Samir Abid.

The Israel Police said earlier in the evening that policemen were prompted to fire at the man after he lit firecrackers in their direction at close range, endangering their lives.

Video of clashes between police and residents in Isawiyah on June 27, 2019.


Emergency medical responders who evacuated the man to the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem said that they gave the man immediate care at the scene and tried to resuscitate him after he suffered from a gunshot wound.

Other residents of the village were injured in clashes with security forces after they were hit by rubber bullets. The clashes continued at the hospital, after residents who accompanied those who were injured got into a confrontation with police forces.

A witness at the scene said that Abid was shot "by three shots from a gun, in close range." He went on to add: "I couldn't save him, he died in my arms. What happened this evening requires everyone to understand that we cannot remain complacent in the face of such crimes."

Earlier Thursday, residents of the village demonstrated at the entrance to Isawiyah alongside left-wing Israeli activists from the Free Jerusalem organization, protesting over police raids that have been taking place there for the past three weeks.

In recent days, confrontations erupted between policemen and Palestinians at the village. On Wednesday, young residents of the village spilled a can of paint on a policeman, and forces fired a rubber bullet at a bus full of passengers. Last week, three Palestinians were wounded during clashes with police, and were evacuated to receive medical care. At least one minor was arrested in the incident.
Aaron Rabinowitz is a Haaretz contributor