BICOM

In two separate attempted stabbings yesterday, four Palestinian attackers were killed as they tried to attack Israeli soldiers in the West Bank.

The first incident took place at the Gush Etzion junction in the southern West Bank. The three assailants were spotted by an IDF observation post, making their way by foot from the nearby Palestinian town of Beit Fajjar. The information was relayed to IDF reservists on duty at the junction, who were approached by the men. When asked to stop for a security check, one of the assailants pulled a knife and was shot. The other two then pulled knives and were also shot. An IDF statement simply said, “Three attackers, armed with knives, attempted to stab soldiers guarding the Gush Etzion junction.”

The assailants were later named by Palestinians as Ala Ayid Kawasbeh, Mahand Kawasbeh and Ahmad Shakar Kawasbeh, relatives of 18-year-old Ahmed Yusef Kawasbeh, who was shot dead after he stabbed and wounded an IDF soldier earlier this week.

Around two hours later, another Palestinian approached soldiers at the Beit Anoun junction near Hebron. He attempted to stab one of them but was shot dead by other troops at the scene. Both the Hebron region and the Gush Etzion junction have been major flashpoints during the wave of violence over the past three months, which has seen at least 23 Israelis killed. Earlier this week, snipers injured two Israeli soldiers in Hebron.

Also yesterday, a 16-year-old Arab from East Jerusalem was arrested by Israeli security forces, acting suspiciously and in possession of a knife. Israel Radio news says that when questioned, he admitted that he had intended to attack a member of the security services.

Meanwhile, the manhunt continues for Nashat Milhem, the man assumed to have carried out the shooting which killed two people at a central Tel Aviv bar a week ago. Police have officially ended the search in Tel Aviv with Milhem thought to be in northern Israel or the West Bank.