Two Jordanians killed in shooting at Israeli embassy in Amman

Amman  : Two Jordanians were killed and an Israeli wounded in an incident at the Israel embassy compound in Amman on Sunday night, according to media reports.

 The incident occurred after a Israeli security officer was stabbed by a Jordanian worker who had entered the Israeli embassy compound in Amman for routine furniture replacement.

The police had sealed off the embassy for further investigation.

"The security officer, the Jordanian landlord and two Jordanian workers were present. One of the workers attacked the Israeli security official from the rear and began stabbing him with a screwdriver. The security official, who was slightly wounded, defended himself. During the incident, the Jordanian worker was killed, but the landlord was injured as well. He later died of his wounds," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Israel has also refused to allow Jordanian authorities to question the security guard citing the Vienna convention,

"In accordance with the Vienna Convention, the security officer has immunity from investigation and imprisonment," the statement



said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Eynat Schlein, Israel's ambassador to Jordan, and with the security official over the incident.

Israeli authorities are working with the Jordanian government over various channels in regards to the incident and are continuing to hold discussions on this matter during the course of the day.

The incident comes after several thousand Jordanians demonstrated on Friday against Israel amid rising tensions that was created with the latter's decision to install metal detectors at entrances to the al-Aqsa mosque, which occupies one of the holiest sites in both Islam and Judaism.

Muslims call the site Haram al-Sharif, while Jews consider it to be the holy Temple Mount.

The detectors were installed after two Israeli policemen were shot dead by three Arab-Israeli gunmen on July 14.

Protesting the move, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced freezing of Palestine's contacts with Israel.

Other regional leaders warned that the clashes in Jerusalem could spread to other parts of the Middle East.