Palestinian kills 3 Israelis in settlement near Jerusalem

A Palestinian gunman has shot dead three Israeli security men and critically wounded a fourth in one of the deadliest attacks in a two-year wave of violence.

The shooting during the Jewish high holidays may complicate mediation efforts by US peace envoy Jason Greenblatt, who is holding meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, The Associated Press reports. Greenblatt flew to Israel this week to “continue the peace track” after US President Donald Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in New York last week, says Reuters.

Netanyahu said he expected Abbas to “condemn this attack and not try to justify it”, The Jerusalem Post reports. Nabil Shaath, an Abbas adviser, told Al Jazeera that the Palestinian leadership did condemn the attack and that "Palestinians support peaceful resistance against the Israeli occupation”.

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Israeli officials described the lone gunman as a 37-year-old Palestinian father of four who was also shot dead.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri told AP that the attacker approached the back gate entrance of the Har Adar settlement, an upscale community west of Jerusalem, and hid among Palestinian workmen being checked by security forces. When the man was asked to stop, he opened fire from a short distance.