soldiers opened fire Tuesday on a van carrying Palestinian workers at a West Bank roadblock, killing three passengers and wounding at least four others.
The Israeli army arrested two soldiers who fired at the van and began an investigation into the incident, which Palestinian Cabinet Secretary Ahmed Abdel Rahman called “a new Israeli massacre.”
An Israeli soldier was injured after what the army said was an attempt by the van to run the roadblock. However, one Palestinian passenger said the soldiers opened fire after the van accelerated to keep another car from cutting in line at the roadblock.
The shooting came at a time when Palestinian anger is running high over the deadlock in the Israel-Palestinian peace process. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has warned of a possible new intefadeh, or Palestinian uprising, against Israel.
Arafat spokesman Nabil Abourdeneh condemned the shootings and said “The Israeli government must take full responsibility.”
Ali Abu Zneid, a passenger in the van, said the vehicle was in a line of traffic waiting to pass through the roadblock when a car tried to cut in front. The van accelerated to keep the car from passing, and the soldiers opened fire, he said.
Abu Zneid said the driver was wounded and stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake, slamming the van into the roadblock.