Israeli shoots Palestinian in East Jerusalem

Incident happened at solidarity event for families awaiting verdict by Israeli Supreme Court in Sheikh Jarrah eviction case

Israeli police confiscate a flag from a protester during a demonstration by Palestinian, Israeli and foreign activists against Israeli occupation and settlement activity, in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem on July 30, 2021. AFPShow less

An Israeli shot and injured a Palestinian man in East Jerusalem on Monday hours before a high court ruling on property ownership in a years-long battle over the area, Israeli police and Palestinian state news agency Wafa reported.

The man was reportedly taking part in an event to show solidarity with families facing eviction from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem.

The event took place in the nearby Wadi Al Joz district. Wafa said the man's foot was injured.

Israeli police said the Palestinian man had trespassed on the Israeli man’s property, which prompted the latter to shoot at him.

Police closed off the area and are investigating.

Four families in Sheikh Jarrah are awaiting a verdict by the Israeli Supreme Court today to bring closure to a decades-long eviction case.

Protests before the Supreme Court hearing initially scheduled for May were met with an intense response by Israeli police, who used mounted officers, rubber bullets, tear gas and foul-smelling “skunk liquid" against demonstrators.

Some protesters threw stones at police officers during the rallies in April and May, a period in which hundreds of Palestinians and dozens of Israeli police officers were hurt in clashes around East Jerusalem.

The violence was followed by the 11-day Gaza-Israel war, the worst fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants since 2014.

While the rallies have since subsided, there have been renewed protests in the run-up to the hearing.