Soldier stabbed near Hebron stable after surgery
Palestinian killed in same incident; petrol bombs thrown at settlement entrance
A Palestinian man stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier in the neck near Hebron on Thursday. The attacker was wounded as Israeli troops fired back, and a second Palestinian, whom the IDF said was an accomplice, was killed.
The incident took place during an arrest operation in the village of Yata, south of Hebron. The soldier, from the Kfir Brigade, fired four shots despite his wounds, the army said.
Initial reports claimed he killed his attacker; Channel 2 reported, however, that his attacker was injured, and that it was another Palestinian, Zakaria Abu Eram, 22, described by the IDF as an accomplice to the attack, who was killed.
The Palestinian attacker was named by Palestinian sources as Mohammad Rashad, 18.
Hadassah Hospital said the soldier successfully underwent surgery on Thursday evening and was in good condition.
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Palestinian sources say that the melee began when Yata residents tried to prevent IDF soldiers from arresting Khaled Makhamra, a prisoner released in the Gilad Shalit swap.
According to IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, Makhamra was being arrested on suspicion of smuggling and transferring money for terrorist organizations in the West Bank. Six other Palestinians freed in the Shalit deal have been rearrested, Channel 2 reported.
Magen David Adom arrived on the scene and evacuated the soldier to Hadassah Hospital at Ein Kerem, where he was in moderate condition.
During the evacuation of the wounded soldier, IDF troops scrambled to the scene of the stabbing to quell unrest.
Late Thursday, Palestinians threw four petrol bombs at the entrance of the West Bank settlement of Beit El, Army Radio reported. There were no reports of injuries. Rocks were thrown at a car near Jerusalem, with some damage to the vehicle.
Earlier, on the northern outskirts of Jerusalem, several dozen Palestinians demanding the release of a hunger-striking detainee clashed with Israeli troops.
Soldiers fired tear gas and aimed a water cannon at about 50 women marching in support of Hana Shalabi, a 30-year-old West Bank woman who has gone without food for 22 days. She too was released in the Shalit deal last year abd subsequently rearrested.
The stream of water knocked down one of the women, while Palestinian teens threw rocks at the soldiers from behind the women’s march.
In Gaza, about 500 women marched for Shalabi, marking International Women’s Day.
Shalabi is being held without formal charges in what Israel calls administrative detention. Previously, she had been held for two years without formal charges, according to Palestinian human rights activists. Detention orders are usually issued for six months and are frequently renewed.
Last month, another administrative detainee, Khader Adnan, ended a 66-day hunger strike after reaching a deal with the Israeli authorities to free him in April.
