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Three Israeli soldiers injured in West Bank vehicle attack
A Palestinian driver deliberately ran down and injured three Israeli soldiers in the West Bank yesterday. A fourth soldier opened fire and wounded the terrorist.
The incident happened at around 3pm near the Shiloh junction in the West Bank, not far from the village of Duma, where a Palestinian baby was killed last week in an arson attack. The soldiers attacked yesterday had been deployed in the area to help quell any subsequent unrest.
The driver was heading southward when he veered suddenly, ploughing into the group of soldiers. Lieutenant Daniel Elvaz, who received only light injuries was able to open fire and wound the terrorist as he attempted to exit the car, which then overturned. The injured soldiers and the attacker were all evacuated to hospitals in Israel for treatment.
IDF forces later entered the Palestinian village of Biddu northwest of Jerusalem, where the attacker lives, in order to conduct searches. An Israeli soldier was lightly wounded by a stone in clashes with local residents.
Responding to yesterday’s attack, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the soldiers who quickly neutralized the scene. He added, “I find it curious that those who were quick to condemn the attacks against Palestinians [following last week’s attack in Duma] remain silent while terrorism is committed against Jews.”
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon commented, “The fight against Palestinian terrorism requires determination and an iron fist … We do not intend to give up on this fight.” Ya’alon said that the attack was likely the work of a lone individual, but that these “sporadic” incidents “just like attacks committed by terror organisations, pose a challenge to security forces.” During the past year, several Israeli civilians have been killed in similar vehicle attacks carried out by Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Hamas released a statement praising the attack as “a natural and worthy response to Israel’s crimes against our people and children” and encouraged further violence against Israelis.