Five IDF soldiers wounded in overnight terror attack

The current wave of Palestinian terrorism shows no signs of ebbing as terrorists attacked in several different locations in Israel Wednesday night, injuring five Israelis.  

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News

Five Israelis were wounded in terror attacks Wednesday night, as the wave of Palestinian terror attacks across Israel continues.

In the most severe incident, a Palestinian terrorist rammed his car into a group of IDF soldiers in near the Palestinian town of Beit Omar, just north of Hebron, injuring five of them.

The soldiers were driving on the road when their car was ambushed by rock-throwing Palestinian terrorists. They pulled over to the side of the road to respond to the attack, and then another Palestinian terrorist, apparently waiting for the right moment, sped towards them and rammed his car into them.

One of the soldiers was seriously wounded, one sustained moderate wounds, and the three others were lightly wounded. They were evacuated to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital.

The Palestinian terrorist was shot by another soldier.

Rocket Fire from Gaza

Earlier the same evening, Palestinian terrorists fired a rocket from Gaza at Israel.

In a statement, the IDF said the rocket landed in an open area. The rocket caused air raid sirens to go off in several communities, but there were no reports of injuries or damage.

Israel has repeatedly stated that it holds Hamas responsible for all attacks emanating from Gaza, and often responds to rocket fire with retaliatory airstrikes, but did not do so after this incident.

These attacks followed another almost fatal terror attack in which a Palestinian stabbed a female soldier near Jerusalem, injuring her before he was shot and killed by a colleague female soldier.

The IDF soldier was critically wounded in the neck, and is still hospitalized in serious condition.

Another Palestinian involved in the attack was arrested.

Earlier in the day, near the entrance to Ma’aleh Adumim outside of Jerusalem, policemen foiled the plans of two Palestinian terrorists, catching them as they were apparently en route to carrying out an attack.

Police pulled over the car the Palestinians were driving after the occupants aroused their suspicion. A search of the vehicle revealed two improvised explosive devices (IED). Police said that an initial investigation showed that the two men had planned to use the explosive devices against security forces.

It was the latest in a series of almost daily Palestinian attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers that erupted about a month ago. During that time, 10 Israelis have been murdered by Palestinian terrorists, mostly in knife attacks.

Coordinator of Government Activities in Judea and Samaria Maj.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai appealed to Palestinian leaders to calm the situation.

“It is not too late to stop the deterioration [of the security situation],” Mordechai said at press conference to the foreign media on Wednesday.

Mordechai condemned the incitement that encourages the spate of terror attacks, carried especially by Palestinian youth, saying that the “word is more harmful than the sword.”