Army fires at West Bank Palestinians wielding Molotov cocktails; man said killed

IDF says group was preparing to target Israeli cars with firebombs, burning tires; two others flee the scene as troops search area

By ToI Staff 20 August 2020, 5:38 am

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Illustrative: A Palestinian hurls a Molotov cocktail toward Israeli security forces during clashes, near the city of Hebron, in the West Bank, on October 11, 2015. (AFP/Hazem Bader)

Israeli soldiers on Wednesday night fired at a group of Palestinians in the West Bank preparing to hurl Molotov cocktails at cars, the army said.

The military said troops identified the group outside Deir Abu Mashal near the settlement of Ariel, handling firebomb-lighting materials and placing tires on a road in preparation for setting them alight, and fired at them.

The Ynet news site reported that a Palestinian man was hit in his arm, but fell, received a severe blow and died at the scene as troops tended to him.

Soldiers were searching for two others who fled the scene.

On Sunday night, soldiers opened fire on a Palestinian about to throw a Molotov cocktail at Rachel’s Tomb near Bethlehem. The man “tried to throw a firebomb at the tomb compound,” the army said. “The soldiers opened fire and foiled the attack. They identified hitting [the attacker.]” The Palestinian news agency Wafa, citing security sources, said an 18-year-old was shot in the leg and taken to a Bethlehem hospital in stable condition.