Palestinian who converted to Judaism shot dead by Israeli soldier in West Bank

A Palestinian man who had converted to Judaism was shot dead by an Israeli reservist near an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank. 

David ben Avraham, 63, who was born Sameh Zeitoun, was shot dead on Thursday morning after being searched by soldiers, who found a knife in his bag, according to Israel's Ynet News. 

The knife was reportedly for self-defence purposes, and there was no suggestion he had used it to attack anyone at the time he was killed. The Israeli army said it was investigating the killing. 

The incident took place at a bus stop near the Elazar settlement, one of a cluster of illegal settlements known as Gush Etzion, south of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. 

Avraham reportedly converted to Judaism in honour of his grandfather, who had saved 25 Jews during the 1929 riots in Hebron.