Police release video showing driver in Tuesday attack swerve into cop

The police have released a video showing the moment a car driven by a Palestinian man plowed into a checkpoint near Jerusalem Tuesday, seeking to counter claims that Israeli forces shot and killed him for no reason.

In the video, the car slowly moves toward the checkpoint before suddenly speeding up and swerving into a booth. The driver, Ahmad Erekat, then exits the car and is immediately shot and killed.

“He waited for a good moment, turned from the center of the lane to get a better angle to hurt the officer and then accelerated, turning his car 90 degrees and lunged wildly at the troops,” a police statement says.

One Border Police officer was lightly injured in the incident.

https://twitter.com/JacobMagid/status/1275768789150437376

It is not clear from the video if Erekat posed a threat after crashing his car. Police did not say any weapon was found on him.

Relatives, including senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat, had said he was rushing to pick up his mom and sister ahead of a family wedding, and was himself set to get married in a month, rebuffing claims that the attack had been deliberate.

Earlier Wednesday, Saeb Erekat called for an international probe of the incident.

Can we have an international investigation team , for Eyad Halaq and Ahmed Erakat نطالب بلجنة تحقيق دوليةًللتحقيق باعدام اياد الحلاق واحمد عريقات.هذه المأسي يجب ان انتهى . This tragedy must come to an end. المساءلة ، accountability . We have witnesses in both murders . لدينا شهود

— Dr. Saeb Erakat الدكتور صائب عريقات (@ErakatSaeb) June 24, 2020