IDF: Palestinian tries to stab soldier in West Bank, is shot dead

Attacker pulls knife as he approaches security forces at checkpoint outside city of Tulkarem; no troops hurt

By ToI Staff 17 January 2017, 6:55 pm 0 Edit

Illustrative photo of IDF soldiers guarding a West Bank checkpoint, August 16, 2016. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)

A Palestinian man was shot dead Tuesday as he tried to stab soldiers manning a checkpoint outside the West Bank city of Tulkarem, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

There were no reports of injures among the security forces.

“An assailant armed with a knife attempted to stab an IDF soldier at a crossing adjacent to Tulkarem,” the IDF said. “Responding to the imminent threat forces fired towards the attacker, resulting in his death.”

The incident came shortly after Israel Police revealed they thwarted a planned stabbing attack in Jerusalem on Monday. A Palestinian who did not have a permit to be in Israel was arrested as he rode a bus in East Jerusalem. He admitted during questioning that he intended to reach the Damascus Gate entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem where he planned to stab security forces at the site.

In November, an IDF soldier was sustained a light wound to the knee in a shooting attack at a checkpoint near Tulkarem.

Medics treated him at the site. According to initial reports, he was struck in the knee by ricocheting bullets.

In September 2016, two female soldiers entered Tulkarem and sustained mild injuries from rocks thrown at them before they were rescued by local Palestinian police and Defense Ministry officials. An initial probe of that incident revealed that not only had the two soldiers relied on a navigation app, but they had entered Tulkarem unarmed.

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