BICOM

Violent incidents continued over the weekend, especially in the Hebron area of the West Bank, where three Israeli Border Police officers were injured yesterday by a vehicle and one Palestinian was killed after trying to stab an Israeli soldier.

Both incidents took place at the Beit Ainun junction near Hebron, where Israel’s security presence has been increased since an Israeli soldier was stabbed in the neck and injured there last week. Yesterday afternoon, a car sped up towards the junction and struck three Border Police officers. Other officers opened fire but were unable to stop the vehicle. There have been several vehicle attacks on Israelis during the past month of violence, including one in Jerusalem which killed a local resident. Maariv reports that the Palestinian driver yesterday turned himself over to Israeli authorities after he was identified and Israeli troops began to close in on him. The driver claims that the incident was a straightforward traffic accident.

Also at the Beit Ainun junction yesterday, a Palestinian was shot and killed after he attempted to stab an Israeli soldier. Another serviceman opened fire on the assailant before he could cause any injury. On Saturday, a similar incident took place at a checkpoint near Nablus. A Palestinian attacker was shot dead while attempting to stab an officer. This morning, two Palestinian assailants tried to stab a soldier at the Gilboa crossing near Afula. One was shot and wounded, while the other was apprehended by the IDF. In total, 12 Israelis have been killed in the month-long wave of violence.

Meanwhile, Israel has begun to return the bodies of terrorists killed in such incidents for burial. Israel’s cabinet had urged withholding the bodies as a deterrent to further violence and to prevent the funerals becoming additional flashpoints. However, five bodies were returned last week and Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon yesterday permitted a further nine bodies to be handed over, on the condition they be buried at night when violence is less likely.