Palestinian tries to stab Israeli guard in West Bank, is shot dead
Forces unhurt in incident at Jenin checkpoint; comes after reported attempted stabbing attack in Jerusalem Old City
A Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli security forces Saturday morning at a checkpoint near Jenin as he tried to stab a security guard, the latest in a series of such attacks across Israel and the West Bank.
“A terrorist, who arrived armed with a knife, tried to stab a security guard at the site,” a police statement said. “In response, the terrorist was shot by the security force at the scene and killed.”
The incident occurred at the Jalama checkpoint, or the Gilboa crossing, at the northern entrance to the West Bank City. The checkpoint is manned by private security guards alongside IDF troops.
None on the Israeli side were hurt in the attack.
מקום ניסיון הדקירה במעבר ג'למה. צילום: משהב"ט pic.twitter.com/ccST54u9ed
— Amir Bohbot אמיר בוחבוט (@amirbohbot) October 24, 2015
The incident came after a reported attempted stabbing attack in Jerusalem’s Old City earlier Saturday.
Police were searching for a suspect after an Israeli man told police that an Arab man tried to stab him on Nablus Road in the capital.
The Israeli told officers that he was walking on the road when he heard some yelling and turned around to find an Arab man wielding a knife. According to his account, he fought off his would-be attacker, who then fled in the direction of Damascus Gate, tossing the knife as he did so.
The Israeli man reportedly handed the knife over to police, who launched a search for the suspect.
On Friday, two Israeli parents and their three young children were wounded in a firebombing attack on their car near the settlement of Beit El, in the West Bank north of Jerusalem.
The family members suffered burns of various degrees. The youngest girl, aged four, was moderately hurt. Her brother, 12-year-old sister and mother and father were lightly injured.
The five were treated at the scene by Magen David Adom medics and evacuated to a Jerusalem hospital for further treatment.
A series of Palestinian attacks on Israelis, and Israeli-Palestinian clashes, have erupted in recent weeks over Palestinian claims that Israel was planning to change the status quo, despite vehement denials from the Jewish state.
Ten Israelis have been killed and dozens injured in a string of attacks since the beginning of the month. At least 50 Palestinians have also died, many while carrying out stabbing attacks on Israelis and others in clashes with security forces.
AFP contributed to this report.
