Palestinians wound, snatch weapon of reservist IDF soldier in Hebron region

A short while later, IDF soldiers recovered the weapon, and they continue to pursue the terrorist, the IDF said in a follow-up statement.

By JNS

Another altercation between Israeli civilians and Palestinians in Judea and Samaria took place on Saturday, in which a Palestinian south of Hebron seized a weapon of one of the Israelis, fired several shots into the air, and managed to escape, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The IDF said that the sides hurled rocks at each other, with one Israeli wounded and evacuated to receive medical treatment.

“IDF soldiers are currently pursuing the terrorist and have set up roadblocks in the [Judea Regional Brigade] area,” near the Jewish community of Susya, the military added.

Reacting to the incident, Ynet cited the Mount Hebron Regional Council as saying that a Palestinian “attacked a local farmer, an active-duty soldier who was on leave at home and had gone out to graze his flock in the area.”

The assailant then “opened fire toward a nearby farm and fled the scene carrying the stolen weapon,” it added.

A short while later, IDF soldiers recovered the weapon, and they continue to pursue the terrorist, the IDF said in a follow-up statement.

Eliram Azulay, head of the Mount Hebron Regional Council, said that the reservist soldier was the one who was wounded by rock-throwing.

“The soldier was evacuated in moderate condition to the hospital,” he said.

Azulay added that “terror against the communities is escalating to a very dangerous stage. The terror is trying to frighten us and expel us from here. We will add more life and expand the settlement enterprise in the area.”

He called on the IDF to initiate a wide-scale operation in Judea and Samaria to ensure the security of residents.

The incident comes on the backdrop of several attacks in Judea and Samaria this month, including a similar one on Friday in which, during an altercation with Israeli civilians near Havat Gilad (Gilad Farm), west of Nablus, a Palestinian snatched a weapon from one of them and opened fire from close range at his victim.

Benayahu Melet, 32, a member of Havat Gilad’s rapid-response security team and the community’s agriculture director, was killed.

Maj. Yuval Ezra, 27, from Herzliya, a commander in the 411th Battalion of the 282nd Artillery Brigade, later succumbed to his wounds sustained in the incident. Six others were injured.

The shooter was killed by soldiers immediately after opening fire and the troops recovered the weapon he had stolen during the assault, the IDF said.

Three other Palestinians were killed in an ensuing gunfight, the military added.

The Israeli military and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) announced later on Friday that Duvdevan undercover IDF commandos had arrested two other wounded terrorists involved in the attack at a hospital in Nablus.

The security agencies said all attackers had been identified, and forces were continuing efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects.