Palestinian terrorist wounds IDF soldier, Israeli Arab in attack

A Palestinian terrorist, apparently a member of the Palestinian Security Force, indiscriminately opened fire north of Jerusalem, hitting an IDF soldier and an Israeli Arab.

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News

A Palestinian terrorist shot and wounded an IDF soldier and an Arab with Israeli citizenship outside the Arab village of Hizma, north of Jerusalem on Thursday.

IDF forces manning a checkpoint at the entrance to the village were checking cars, as part of the IDF’s boosted presence to contend with the wave of Palestinian terror attacks. When they came to check the terrorist’s car, he exited and shot at them with a handgun. An IDF soldier was lightly wounded in his hand, while the second victim, who was sitting in a nearby car, sustained serious wounds to his upper body.

The terrorist was shot dead.

Described as a male in his late 40’s, the seriously wounded victim was evacuated by an Israeli medical team to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem.

The IDF soldier was treated at the scene.

Palestinian sources identified the terrorist as Mazen Ariba, a resident of Jerusalem who served as an intelligence officer with the Palestinian security services.

These incidents were the latest in a long series of Palestinian terror attacks that have plagued Israelis over the course of the past two-and-a-half months, claiming the lives of 21 victims and wounding almost 200.