Hebron man throwing firebomb killed in clash with IDF

Man identified as Ahmad al-Atrash, a former security prisoner.

By David Hellerman, World Israel News

A Palestinian man who threw a firebomb at soldiers during a riot in Hebron was shot and killed on Friday. Palestinian media identified the man as 29-year-old Ahmad al-Atrash, a former security prisoner.

Clashes broke out in other areas of Judea and Samaria, with Palestinians throwing rocks and firebombs. Israeli security forces are on a heightened state of alert following three terror attacks in recent days that killed 11 people.

Palestinian Red Crescent said dozens of Palestinians were injured during Friday’s rioting.

Tensions are also high because the Islamic holy month of Ramadan began on Friday night. According to a Dutch study cited by the Jerusalem Post, “Ramadan brought with it a 200% increase in terrorist attacks in Israel between 2005 and 2016.”

Also on Friday, Israeli security forces killed three Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists in a shootout. The terror cell was described as “ticking time bomb” planning a terror spree similar to last week’s attack in Bnei Brak. Five people were killed when a Palestinian from Jenin went on a shooting rampage.

A fourth member of the PIJ cell was arrested on Saturday in the Palestinian village of Shuweika, near Tulkarm.

In a video message last week, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called on Israeli citizens to be extra vigilant and urged licensed gun-owners to carry their weapons in public.