An Israeli police officer was killed in an attack on the Bedouin village of Um el-Hiran in the Negev desert after being hit by a car driven by a Bedouin of the village whom police said was “a terrorist affiliated with the Islamic movement”, a police spokesman said.
The attack took place after police arrived in the village to protect the demolition of 14 houses built illegally.
The vehicle’s driver was shot and killed by police on the scene.
Various others were wounded in the clash, including Ayman Oudeh, leader of the United Arab List, the third-largest party in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
The tension stems from the decision by Israeli authorities to tear down the village of Um el-Hiran, defined as illegal, in order to build a Jewish village on the same land.
Interior Security Minister Ghilad Erdan said broad development plans were provided for the Bedouins in other areas of the Negev.
The demolition of the first homes in Um el-Hiran was sanctioned by various court orders.
On Tuesday night Israeli police took up positions in the village in order to protect the bulldozers.
Oudeh accused police of having acted with “unjustified brutality” in their response to the attack.
Last week the Arab community in Israel held a national protest strike following the demolition of 11 illegal buildings in Kalanswa, northeast of Tel Aviv.
