Palestinian rams car in border checkpoint terror attack

Palestinian ignores warnings from soldiers and races car into border post in apparent attempt to kill Israelis while committing suicide.

By Paul Shindman, World Israel News

A Palestinian tried to run over an Israeli security guard and smashed his car into a barrier at a border crossing Wednesday, later saying he carried out the attack because he “wanted to die.”

The initial investigation by security forces discovered that the resident of of the Palestinian village of Barta’a in northern Samaria approached the Reihan checkpoint near the Palestinian city of Jenin. After security guards signaled him to slow down for inspection, the car accelerated towards the guards.

According to the investigation at this point the security guards followed protocol and fired into the air, but the driver continued and hit several concrete mushrooms before smashing into a reinforced guard post.

There were no casualties in the incident.

Under questioning, the Palestinian claimed that he intended to carry out an attack and that he “wanted to die.”

On Tuesday a Palestinian stabbed and seriously wounded an Israeli woman in the city of Kfar Saba. A passerby who saw the attack shot and wounded the terrorist and called police.

The condition of the woman, 62, improved and she was transferred from the intensive care unit to the surgical ward at Meir Hospital and is reported to be in good condition.

“A special thanks to the dear man who saved her life,” family members told the local Tzomet Hasharon news website.

Last week, an Israel Border Police officer was moderately injured when a Palestinian ran him over at a checkpoint east of Jerusalem. The horrific attack was captured on security cameras showing that after knocking the police officer down the Palestinian terrorist got out of the van and tried to stab him, before being shot dead by other officers on the scene.

A pipe bomb was also found at the scene of the attack, which police assume the terrorist intended to throw at the checkpoint.

The Hatzalah first-responders organization has reported on dozens of firebombings and rock throwing incidents on roads and highways in Judea and Samaria over the past few weeks.