BICOM

Three Israelis were injured last night after a firebomb struck a car in north Jerusalem. The incident comes days after last week’s deadly arson attack on a Palestinian home in the West Bank.

The firebomb attack occurred at the Beit Hanina junction. A 27-year-old woman in the car suffered first and second degree burns to 15 per cent of her body and is being treated in a local hospital. Meanwhile, a man who attempted to put out the flames was injured due to smoke inhalation and another man also suffered injuries in the incident. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat has requested an increased police presence in the area.

Meanwhile, according to Israel Radio news, there were four other firebomb attacks yesterday in the Gush Etzion region of the West Bank. However, no injuries or damage was reported.

Yesterday’s attacks occurred with heightened tension in Jerusalem and the West Bank after an 18-month-old Palestinian baby died in an arson attack last week, thought to have been carried out by Jewish extremists. The blaze was thoroughly condemned by Israeli leaders who termed it an act of terror.

Israeli forces appeared to step up their efforts to stamp out hate crimes yesterday by arresting a well-known extremist agitator, Meir Ettinger. The Shin Bet internal security service said he had been apprehended due to “his involvement and activities in extremist Jewish organisations.” Ettinger is already banned from entering Jerusalem and the West Bank due to his extremist activity. It is unclear whether he is being held specifically in connection with the deadly arson last week. However, media reports suggest he will be subject to an administrative detention order if he fails to comply with the authorities, a measure only previously applied to Palestinian terror suspects.

Also yesterday, the IDF destroyed an illegal structure in the West Bank settlement of Eli. It comes after two buildings were demolished in the Beit El settlement last week following a court order which found they were constructed on Palestinian land.