PALESTINIANS hit the ground in panic and shouted "massacre" when an Israeli soldier opened fire in all directions at the vegetable market in the heart of Hebron, writes Mazen Dana.
I was there and also hit the ground.
I saw the soldier fire his M16 rifle into the outdoor market just before 10 a.m. It was crowded with shoppers and merchants.
"Massacre, massacre" and "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) shouted Palestinians, who lay flat bullets whizzed over their heads.
At first, panic and confusion gripped everybody - Arabs, soldiers and Jewish settlers.
The settlers thought they were under attack and began firing around the market. Police and soldiers came from the nearby Jewish enclave of Avraham Avinu (Abraham our Father) and fired. Witnesses said at least one Palestinian was wounded by them.
Palestinian officials said seven people were wounded,
The army identified the gunman as a Jew from Maale Adumim settlement near Jerusalem. Officers said he hoped to sabotage the imminent deal to hand over most of Hebron to Palestinian self rule. He wore a skullcap and a white, fringed undershirt beneath his army shirt, both symbols of a religious Jew.
As it dawned on the Israelis that they were not the target, soldiers crept towards the gunman. A few Palestinians also moved towards him.
Eventually, soldiers beat the Palestinians to the gunman. An Israeli, Lieut Avi Buskila, got there first.
"Within 10 seconds I pinned him to the ground and took his gun," Lieut Buskila said. Even while on the ground the gunman tried to load a second magazine into his rifle after emptying the first.
Soldiers dragged the gunman to a military jeep. Palestinians began taking their wounded to the hospital.