Palestinian driver accelerates toward checkpoint, is shot by soldiers

No troops hurt in possible car-ramming attempt near Ramallah; condition of driver unclear

By ToI Staff 20 February 2020, 10:56 pm 0 Edit

Illustrative: IDF soldiers man a checkpoint near the West Bank city of Hebron, on July 2, 2016. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)

Israeli soldiers in the West Bank on Thursday evening shot a Palestinian driver after he accelerated his vehicle toward them in a possible attempt to ram them with it, Hebrew media reports said.

The man was reportedly injured in the incident at a checkpoint in the village of Beitin, near Ramallah. His condition was not immediately clear.

No soldiers were hurt.

According to media reports the troops had set up the checkpoint due to recent Molotov cocktails attacks in the area.

Earlier this month a resident of East Jerusalem rammed his car into a group of Golani soldiers in the capital on David Remez Street outside the First Station, a popular entertainment hub, injuring 12 of them, one of them seriously. The latter’s condition later improved.

The driver fled the scene but was later arrested. He was identified as 25-year-old Sanad al-Turman.

The troops were visiting Jerusalem ahead of a planned swearing-in ceremony at the Western Wall.