BICOM

A number of attacks on Israelis were repelled yesterday in Jerusalem and the West Bank, some involving firearms. They resulted in the deaths of five Palestinian assailants.

In the first of yesterday’s incidents, an IDF unit spotted two Palestinians hurling rocks at Israeli vehicles near Jenin. When a unit was despatched to the area, they came under fire and responded, killing both attackers. One was found with an automatic weapon, the other armed with a knife. An IDF statement said that, “The unit acted to neutralize the immediate threat.” Palestinian sources named the two attackers as Nihad and Fuad Waked, both 15-years-old, from nearby Arake.

During the afternoon, a Palestinian teenager brandishing a knife, ran at border policemen at the Mizmoriya checkpoint between Har Homa and Bethlehem, but was shot dead before injuring the officers. Israel Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said, “The terrorist ran toward police at the checkpoint with a knife, and when he did not stop Border Police opened fire and killed him.”

Meanwhile, late last night two Palestinian gunmen from the West Bank armed with automatic weapons, opened fire on border police at the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem’s Old City as they were receiving a briefing prior to beginning a nightly patrol. One of the attackers was shot dead immediately while the second was pursued before also being killed in a gun battle. No police or bystanders were injured during the attack, which occurred at the same spot where three Palestinian gunmen opened fire earlier this month, killing 19-year-old border policewoman Hadar Cohen.

In two additional incidents yesterday evening, a 14-year-old Palestinian girl was wounded after she tried to stab Israeli border police officers in Hebron. Meanwhile, shots were fired at a home in the West Bank community of Beit El, causing damage but no injuries.

Since the start of October, near-daily attacks on Israelis have been carried out by Palestinians, with at least 30 Israelis killed in the violence.