Binyamin Netanyahu
Binyamin NetanyahuFlash 90

In the last few minutes the Israeli government has expressed "regret" over the fatal shooting of a Jordanian-Palestinian judge by Israeli troops at a border crossing with Jordan, a statement from the premier's office said.    

"Israel regrets the death of Judge Raed Zeiter yesterday (Monday) at the King Hussein (Allenby) bridge and expresses its sympathies to the people and government of Jordan," the statement from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office said.    

The shooting had sparked the fury of both Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, with protesters in Amman demanding the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and the abrogation of the two countries' 1994 peace treaty.

The PA, for its part, demanded an international investigation into the shooting.

But the IDF insisted Zeiter was shot in the process of attacking a soldier and attempting to seize his weapon.

"A short while ago a Palestinian attempted to seize the weapon of a soldierat the Allenby Bridge crossing from Jordan. In response the forces at thescene opened fire towards the suspect. A hit was identified," an Israelimilitary statement said at the time.

On Tuesday, IDF sources told Voice of Israel public radio that Zeiter had attacked soldiers with an iron rod and had tried to seize his weapon. The soldiers felt threatened and open fire, according to the source.