Bomb thrown at Israeli guards at Tomb of the Patriarchs; no injuries

An improvised explosive device was thrown at Israeli security forces at the entrance of the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank city of Hebron on Thursday night in the second incident this week, police said.

The attacker fled the scene after throwing the pipe bomb at a border guard station just outside the tomb.

There were no injuries.

The pipe bomb missed its target and fell into a Palestinian resident’s courtyard adjacent to the security station,  police said.

Police said they were searching the area for the perpetrator and had opened an investigation into the incident.

A similar incident took place on Tuesday outside the Tomb of the Patriarchs. There were no injuries when the culprit threw improvised explosives at Israeli border guards outside the flashpoint site. The suspect was not apprehended.

Earlier this month, sappers detonated a similar improvised explosive device found near the Tomb of the Patriarchs.

That device, containing two small gas canisters, was blown up in a controlled explosion by the police bomb squad.

The device was found near one of the entrances used only by Muslims, and the area remained closed for over an hour until the device was neutralized.

“In the area of the tomb, there is unique coexistence that the security forces, including border police, protect with the goal of allowing freedom of worship and religion to both Jews and Muslims at the Tomb of the Patriarchs,” police said in a statement after the incident.

“The soldiers will continue to work with determination and professionalism to protect the security of all the citizens, residents and visitors to the site,” it said.