(Recast) Another car-ramming attack sees assailant killed, 6 Israelis wounded
Xinhua, November 27, 2015 Adjust font size:
Six Israeli soldiers were wounded in a car-ramming attack in the West Bank on Friday and the Palestinian attacker was shot dead in the scene, the Israeli military said.
The incident, the second of the day, took place near Beit Umar, north of Hebron in the West Bank, where Israeli forces are deployed amid a two-month long wave of violence.
"During a routine IDF activity to secure the roads in the area of Hebron, a Palestinian rammed his car into forces, injuring six," a statement by the Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson Unit said.
"The forces responded and shot the assailant, resulting in his death," it added.
One of the soldiers was moderately wounded, while the five others were injured in light to moderate condition, according to the Israeli emergency services, who evacuated them to the Jerusalem Shaare Zedek hospital.
Several reports in Israeli and Palestinian media outlets suggested that clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in the area shortly after the attack.
Earlier on Friday, two Israeli soldiers were wounded in a car-ramming attack outside Jerusalem, and the Palestinian assailant was also killed.
The incident took place in Kfar Adumim, a Jewish settlement outside of Jerusalem in the West Bank.
A car, driven by a Palestinian assailant, hit two Israeli soldiers standing at a bus stop in the area, wounding both of them lightly, Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said in a statement.
A citizen volunteering with rescue units who was at the scene shot and killed the Palestinian man, later identified as 30-year-old Hasib Fadi from Ramallah.
Nineteen Israelis have died in Palestinian stabbing, shooting and vehicular attacks in the past two months, as well as a U.S. national and one Palestinian man.
More than 100 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing two-month wave of violence, with some killed in clashes with Israeli security forces, and other killed by security forces and vigilante citizens while allegedly trying to carry out stabbing and car-ramming attacks.
The violence was sparked by strife over the flashpoint site of the al-Aqsa mosque in east Jerusalem, holy to Jews and Muslims, and spread out to outbursts of violence throughout Israel and the Palestinian territories.
While Israeli politicians blame Palestinian incitement for the current wave of violence, Palestinian officials blame Israel for the 50-year occupation of the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip territories, where they wish to establish their own state, in accordance with the two-state solution. Endit