1st LD: 3 injured as car runs into Israeli policemen in east Jerusalem

Three Israeli policemen were injured on Saturday evening when a Palestinian drove his car into a group of policemen in east Jerusalem, Israeli officials said.

A spokesperson with the Israeli Rescue Services said that the Palestinian driver hit policemen in a suspected "terror attack." The three injured were already evacuated to hospital for treatment.

The police said the incident took place near At-Tur amidst Saturday clashes between Palestinian youths and the police in the wake of the killing of 17-year-old Mohamed Abu Ghannam by Israeli Border Police.

At least 20 Palestinians were injured in the ensuing clashes between rock-throwing youths and the police on Saturday afternoon.

According to the police, Abu Ghannam, a resident of the Jerusalem neighborhood of At-Tur in east Jerusalem, was attempting to attack paramilitary Border Police personnel at a checkpoint in the outskirt of Jerusalem.

However, Abu Ghannam's family denied that he was trying to attack soldiers.

The National Palestinian Authority also condemned the killing, saying that a hand fight broke out between Abu Ghannam and the policemen while he was walking with his sister, but he was shot dead during the fight.

Also on Saturday, soldiers near the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron shot and killed a Palestinian after he allegedly stabbed a Border Police officer, Israeli police said.

Tensions between Israel and the Palestinian have been surging recently. On Thursday night, Israel's army artillery fired several shells on the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanon, hours after a rocket was fired from the Strip into southern Israel. Endit