The crackdown was reminiscent of Israeli military tactics during the second Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s and came at a time of growing domestic pressure for a tough response to recent attacks on Israeli settlers.

The decision defied growing U.S. criticism of Israel’s settlement policies and also raised tensions with the Palestinians at a time of rising violence in the occupied territory.

The Palestinian gunman approached Israeli troops stationed at the Qalandiya checkpoint outside Jerusalem early in the morning, pulled out an M16 rifle, and opened fire, the Israeli police said.

The fighting further raised tensions heightened this week by a daylong Israeli military raid that killed 7 people, including a 15-year-old girl, and Tuesday’s mass shooting, whose victims included a 17-year-old Israeli boy.

At the start of the offensive, aircraft targeted the apartments and homes of three Islamic Jihad commanders without warning, killing them.

The protests have been held every week for most of the year and they continued despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announcing he was postponing the proposals to reach a compromise agreement.