Another bulldozer rampage in Jerusalem

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Israeli police shot dead a bulldozer driver who rammed into cars and a bus in Jerusalem, injuring at least 16 people.

In what appeared to be a copy of the July 2 road rampage on Jaffa Road, a bulldozer operator working in the Israeli capital’s Yemin Moshe neighborhood began crushing cars without warning Tuesday. The bulldozer also crashed into a passenger bus. At least 16 people were reported hurt, one seriously. A infant and his mother are reported to be among the casualties.

The driver was shot dead by paramilitary border police. Jerusalem Police chief Ilan Franco said the driver was an Arab resident of eastern Jerusalem, and carried a blue Israeli identity card.

The apparent attack took place within sight of the luxury King David Hotel, which will host U.S. Sen. Barack Obama during a visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority due to begin Tuesday evening.

In the previous such incident, an Arab bulldozer driver killed three Israelis before being shot dead by an off-duty soldier. While that assailant was assumed to have had political motivations, Israeli authorities never established clear links to Palestinian terrorist groups.

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