Ramallah: A Palestinian from Wadi Helwa in Silwan, in Occcupied East Jerusalem, was shot dead on Wednesday morning and three others were injured, one critically, after clashes with colonists in the Arab neighbourhood.

The 28-year-old Samer Sarhan, of Silwan, was shot dead during the clashes in Silwan and his body was taken by the Israeli authorities to undergo an autopsy in Abu Kbeer in Israel.

Occupied Jerusalem Governorate Vice Chairman Abdullah Siyam told Gulf News that Sarhan was murdered intentionally and that another man injured in the clash was in critical condition.

“So far we have not received the dead body of Sarhan where there have been claims that we will not be able to receive his dead body for burial till after the Jewish festivities end at the beginning of the coming October,” he said.

Siyam added that every efforts would be made to receive Sarhan’s body and lay him to rest as quickly as possible.

He said Silwan was very tense, with the colonists harassing and teasing the Arabs and provoking clashes with the intent of the areas being evacuated so they could take control.

“Silwan has been a tense area for the past few months with potential clashes were the Israeli Army and police are giving the colonists a free hand to handle the Arab residents of Occupied East Jerusalem with no real attempts to stop the violence of these colonists,” he said.

He added that groups of colonists arrived in Silwan late Tuesday and early Wednesday where the colonists opened fire, shooting Sarhan dead and injuring three others.

He stressed that the Israeli Army and police used live bullets in the clashes with the Palestinians.

Siyam said the colonists’ only aim was to force the Palestinian residents in Occupied Jerusalem out of their homes and neighbourhoods.

Siyam said clashes were expected to intensify at the time when Sarhan’s body was received for burial. He added that unless the colonists were stopped from harassing the Palestinians, the clashes would continue, and grow more frequent and deadly.

He feared the violence would become more widespread around Silwan and take in Baten Al Hawa and other parts of Occupied Jerusalem. It was likely that live bullets and tear gas would be used to bring the fighting under control, he said.