‘I came to defend Israel,’ says immigrant cop who shot attackers

A young French immigrant serving in the Border Police was praised by commanders and local leaders on Friday after shooting two Palestinian assailants as they tried to stab her and a second policeman in the West Bank.

The head of Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, who arrived at the scene and spoke with the corporal, said that the officer had told him: “This is why I came to Israel. To defend the nation.”

The two men attempted to stab Cpl. A and her partner as they inspected vehicles at the Tapuah Junction. According to a police statement, the attackers arrived at the intersection on a motorcycle, dismounted and advanced towards the officers with knives in hand.

Dagan called Cpl. A “a hero” for preventing “a big disaster.”

“I realized that if I hesitated for a second the policeman beside me would no longer be alive,” Cpl. A told the press afterwards. “I didn’t think twice. I cocked my weapon and shot them.”

One of the Palestinians was killed while the other was critically injured, according to police. The Border Policemen were not hurt.

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Border Police commander Uzi Levi, head of forces in Judea and Samaria, commended the officers’ actions, saying they responded with level-headed professionalism to end the incident “quickly and without casualties.”