BICOM

Israeli security forces yesterday announced that a Palestinian man was arrested on suspicion of stabbing a nine-year old girl in the settlement of Psagot in October, as tensions continue to simmer in the West Bank.

The girl sustained light injuries after a masked man approached the family home, before the girl’s father was able to pull her to safety. It was announced yesterday that a 21-year-old Palestinian man, Abdullah Abu Kabita, a resident of El-Birah near Ramallah was arrested on suspicion of perpetrating the attack.

Col. Yossi Pinto, Commander of the Binyamin Regional Brigade commented, “The suspect described the details of the incident, things we did not publicize. He described sneaking into the community [through a hole in a fence]. En route to a home, he met the girl, and stabbed her twice.” Pinto said that although it was unclear whether the motive was criminal or nationalistic, “He came to attack, so this is in effect a terrorist incident.”

Meanwhile, two security incidents took place in the Bethlehem region yesterday, underscoring the continuing tensions in the West Bank. An improvised grenade was thrown at an IDF base in the area causing no injuries. Later on in the day, one person was lightly wounded after a pipe bomb was thrown at a car near the tomb of the Biblical matriarch Rachel. On Sunday, four firebombs and stones were thrown at an Israeli car west of Bethlehem.

Since October, there have been a number of terror attacks against Israelis in the West Bank. Last month, two police officers were stabbed in separate incidents. In October, an Israeli man was bludgeoned to death in the Jordan Valley. In September, an IDF soldier was kidnapped and murdered near Beit Amin and another was shot dead in Hebron.

Meanwhile, a rocket launched by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip exploded yesterday morning in the Negev region of southern Israel, causing no injuries or damage.