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Photo:
Rami Wahid Sabarneh, 37. Published by Maan News

Aaref Jaber. Published by Maan News
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HEBRON (Ma'an) -- JUNE 2, 2018 2:30 P.M. (UPDATED: JUNE 2, 2018 3:28 P.M.)

Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian construction worker in the southern occupied West Bank city of Hebron on Saturday morning, claiming that he was attempting to carry out a vehicular attack, a claim that witnesses vehemently denied.

Locals identified the man as as Rami Wahid Sabarneh, 37, from the Hebron-area town of Beit Ummar, a husband and father of four.

The Israeli army alleged that Sabarneh, who worked in construction in the area, attempted to run soldiers over with a bulldozer. However, no injuries were reported among the soldiers.

Local activist with Human Rights Defenders in Hebron, Aaref Jaber, told Ma’an that Israeli soldiers deliberately killed the worker.

Jaber denied the Israeli army’s account, saying that “Sabarneh was driving a Bobcat excavator while another worker walked next to him, Israeli soldiers asked them to stop when he was at least 10 meters away from them, the walking worker stopped, but Sabarneh apparently did not hear the soldiers and continued his way so they opened fire at him until he was killed.”

Israeli forces detained Jaber shortly after the incident, and took him to the Kiryat Arba police station.

Palestinian Red Crescent sources said that Israeli soldiers prevented their ambulance and crew from reaching Sabarneh to aid him.