IDF officer seriously wounded in car ramming attack in Samaria

Two Israeli soldiers were wounded in a car-ramming attack on Monday morning.

By TPS and World Israel News Staff

Arab terrorists rammed their car into a group of IDF soldiers operating in the Arab village of Ne’ima around 3:30 a.m. on Monday morning, seriously wounding an officer and lightly injuring another soldier.

In response, the troops fired at the terrorists, killing two of them and lightly injuring another.

The soldiers had been conducted raids in the village of Ne’ima and were on their way out when their truck broke down. As they stood outside attempting to move the vehicle, they were attacked.

“Terrorists rammed their vehicle into a number of soldiers who had stopped by the side of the road at the entrance to the village,” the Israel Defense Forces said.

The seriously wounded officer, later identified as Capt. Israel Meir Elitzur, was evacuated in stable condition after being anesthetized and ventilated. A doctor treating him stated that he was not in a life-threatening condition and that he was undergoing an operation.

The lightly wounded soldier was evacuated with injuries to his legs.

Both injured soldiers, about 20 years of age, were taken to Tel Hashomer hospital in Ramat Gan on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.

Dozens of Arabs gathered at the scene of the attack later that morning and began rioting, throwing rocks and other objects at IDF forces.

Car used by Arab terrorist in the ramming attack in which an IDF officer was seriously injured, Mar 3, 2019. (TPS)

“This morning IDF soldiers acted quickly and eliminated the terrorists who threatened to run them over. We send our best wishes for a quick recovery to the officer who was wounded and will do everything to speed up the demolition of the homes of these murderers, such as the murderer of Ori Ansbacher,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated.

“I have ordered that the demolitions of these homes be speeded up in the context of the restrictions of the judicial system. We are determined to continue our vigorous struggle against the murderers and against terrorism everywhere,” he said.

The Hamas terror group welcomed the attack, stating that “the death of the Shaheeds west of Ramallah this morning proves that the Palestinian people are continuing their struggle against the occupier until it gains all its rights and liberates its land.

“The message that the rebelling youngsters are conveying is that they will not calm until the occupation is banished, the holy places are liberated and the plans to Judaize Jerusalem will not come to pass,” Hamas said.

HamasSamaria