RAMALLAH, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian was killed on Saturday by Israeli soldiers at an Israeli army roadblock near the northern West Bank city of Qalqilya, Palestinian and Israeli sources said.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a press statement that Rabi Arafa Rabi, 32, was killed by Israeli soldiers after being shot in the head.
Palestinian eyewitnesses said that the Israeli soldiers opened fire at Rabi as he drove his car through the Israeli army roadblock, while the Israeli media said Rabi was trying to escape the check and driving over one soldier's foot before they opened fire at him, adding that one Israeli soldier was moderately injured.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the killing of Rabi, saying in a statement that "the incident of killing him is a crime of a field execution for no reason."
The statement held the Israeli government "fully and directly responsible for the Israeli soldiers' practices and its repercussions and influence on the conflict.
Tension has been mounting between Israel and the Palestinians since March after the Israeli army intensified its military actions and operations against Palestinian militants and activists by storming Palestinian towns and cities in the West Bank.
Since early January, more than 174 Palestinians have been killed by Israelis in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including women and children, according to official Palestinian figures. Meanwhile, more than 20 Israelis have been killed since March.
