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Jordan sends strongly-worded message to Israel after shooting death of judge

Raed Zueter, 38, a judge from Amman, shot and killed after reportedly trying to snatch a weapon from an Israeli soldier at Allenby crossing; in separate incident, Palestinian shot near Beit El.

By Jack Khoury, Gili Cohen , Chaim Levinson, Zohar Blumenkrantz, and Barak Ravid for Haaretz

Jordanian protesters gathered outside the Israeli Embassy in Amman, Jordan, on Monday night and the Jordanian government sent a sharply-worded statement to its Israeli counterpart, following the killing of a Jordanian judge at the Allenby border crossing earlier in the day.

The judge, Raed Zueter, 38, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers at the border crossing after reportedly trying to seize the rifle of one of the soldiers.

The Israel Defense Forces said that the soldier, a member of the IDF Engineering Corps, opened fire on the man after he tried to attack him and steal his rifle. The border crossing was closed after the incident.

A Jordanian source said that Zueter had arrived at the Israeli side of the crossing and was shot after an argument with soldiers.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the security cameras at the crossing had not been activated, contrary to the rules at the site. It is not yet clear whether the malfunction was isolated to Monday, or if the cameras had been deactivated for some time.

Jordanian security forces beefed up their security around the embassy to prevent any attempt by the several dozen protesters to burst in. As the protest grew, the Israeli Foreign Ministry ordered all Israeli diplomats, including those who had already returned home, to take refuge in the embassy, so as to better ensure their security under one roof.

The demonstration began to wind down at about 9 P.M. and the Israeli diplomats returned to their homes.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh summoned Israel’s charge d’affaires in Jordan and strongly condemned the incident, according to the Jordanian news agency Petra.

The Jordanian government demanded that Israel immediately investigate the incident, Petra reported, and asked the Israeli diplomat to “immediately inform his government that the Jordanian government is expecting a quick and detailed report and expects that an in-depth investigation will be undertaken in which full details will be provided to the government of Jordan.”

The Jordanian Lawyers association also published a statement sharply condemning the incident and demanding that it be fully investigated.

Raed Zueter was born in Nablus and transferred to Jordan about three years ago, where he worked as a magistrate’s court judge in north Amman.

Speaking to Haaretz, Zueter’s brother said that the family had not been given any details about the incident and that what had been published sounded illogical. His brother, he said, had a doctorate in law and was married with two children.

“The whole story sounds bizarre; that a man like that would attempt to snatch a rifle said another relative living in Nablus. “I hope that someone will look deeply into what happened.”

Zueter’s parents arrived in Nablus yesterday afternoon from Amman to participate in the funeral, which is expected to take place on Tuesday afternoon. His father Ala Idan Zueter, an attorney, told reporters in Amman that he had received conflicting versions about what happened. He had been with his son on Monday morning, he said, and there had been no indication that Raed Zueter intended to go to the crossing or the West Bank.

The Zueter family is one of the oldest in Nablus and considered to be among the Palestinian elite.

Shootings at the Allenby crossing on the West Bank-Jordan border are rare. Israel and Jordan signed a peace agreement 20 years ago and have close security ties.

The border terminal is operated jointly by Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. It is the main border crossing for Palestinians from the West Bank traveling to neighboring Jordan and beyond, and it is a crossing point for goods between Israel, the West Bank and Jordan.

Foreign diplomats and tourists also travel through the border crossing, though Israelis are not permitted to use it.

In a separate incident on Monday, a Palestinian was shot dead by IDF forces near the West Bank settlement of Beit El, apparently after hurling rocks in the area.

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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man at the Allenby Bridge crossing with Jordan on Monday, Israel's army and witnesses said.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said "a Palestinian attempted to the seize the weapon of an Israeli soldier at the Allenby Bridge crossing with Jordan. Israeli soldiers opened fire and a hit was identified."

Army commander Yaron Beit On, speaking in a conference call with reporters later in the day, said that as the man attempted to snatch an Israeli soldier's gun, another soldier shot him in the leg.

The man then managed to grab a metal bar from one of the Israeli troops, Beit On said. When he tried to use it as a weapon, a soldier shot and killed him.

He said that the incident occurred at around 9:30 a.m., and that the man was carrying two suitcases with him.

The victim was identified as Raed Alaa Addin Zieter, 38, from Nablus.

A Jordanian security official told AFP that Zeiter worked as a judge in Amman and had left for the West Bank early on Monday.

Jordan's justice ministry confirmed the information, saying he worked at a magistrates court in the capital.

Palestinian security officials said he was originally from the northern West Bank city of Nablus, but had left the territories in 2011 and not returned.

Family members in Amman expressed shock over his death.

"We did not know that Raed was in the West Bank. I went to the court to check if he was working and I was told that he did not go to work today," said his 70-year-old father, Alaa Zeiter, himself a former judge.

"My son is peaceful and professional. I am shocked," he told AFP by phone, before breaking down in tears.

The Palestinian Authority strongly condemned the incident and demanded an international investigation into the circumstances of Zeiter's death.

"The Palestinian government vigorously condemns the shooting at close range of Judge Raed Zeiter ... while he was coming in from Jordan," it said.

It also called for the establishment of a "international investigative committee to probe this incident."

AFP contributed to this report

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by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

[Monday, March 10, 2014] Palestinian medical sources have reported that Israeli soldiers stationed at the al-Karama crossing, between the West Bank and Jordan, shot and killed a Palestinian man.

The sources said that Raed Aladdin Z’eitar, 38 years of age, is from the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

Palestinian security sources said the Palestinian Authority contacted the Israeli side to transfer the body of the slain Palestinian to his family, for burial ceremonies.

The Israeli army claimed Z’eitar “attempted to snatch a weapon from an Israeli security guard” before the soldiers shot him dead.

The army closed the crossing terminal after the attack until further notice, the sources added. The Israeli police said that no Israelis were harmed in the incident.

The slain Palestinian was returning home from Jordan; he was shot and killed at the first Israeli crossing point after crossing from the Jordanian side.

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