A Palestinian driver hit three Israelis south of Bethlehem on Saturday night in a ramming attack, the military said.
Those injured in the attack near the village of Beit Ummar in the West Bank were all young men in their early twenties. One of the three was in a serious condition and the other two were slightly injured. They were treated by paramedics at the scene and taken to hospital.
The attacker was shot dead.
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, writing on Twitter, said that terror must be dealt with using a “strong hand and perseverance,” adding that he had faith in security forces “that continue to acting decisively against terror and restoring peace to the residents.”
Shlomo Ne’eman, head of the Yesha council that represents West Bank settlements, said that “the enemy is raising its head again and trying to murder Jews because they are Jews, reminding us of the tangible threats against us.” “
Ne’eman said it was “difficult to see” how the ongoing Islamic festival of Ramadan turns into a holiday of attacks.”
Israeli security forces are on high alert amid the Islamic holy month, which usually sees heightened tensions and unrest, and after a series of recent terror attacks.
“Apparently, we as Jews will never understand this. We will continue to build, develop and move forward on the roads of Israel without fear,” announced Ne’eman.
תיעוד עשרות מזירת פיקוע הדריסה משח ל-בית אומר, May 2 pic.twitter.com/3dq89UjAz7
— news (@1717Bazz) April 1, 2023
Avigdor Liberman prayed for a speedy recovery for the three injured youths and praised soldiers for putting an end to the “despicable terrorism”, a description used by Nation Unity MK Matan Kahana in a post on Twitter after the attack.
Another MK National Unity party, Gideon Sa’ar, shared similar sentiments, asking the community to “stand together, with determination and strength.”
The Israeli Defense Forces announced on Friday that they were enforcing a closure on the West Bank, with crossing points closed to Palestinians on the first and last day of the upcoming Passover holiday. Gaza border crossings will also be closed.
The closure is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, April 5, at 5 pm and will last until Saturday, April 8, at 11:59 pm The second closure will begin on April 11, at 5 pm, and will last until the April 12, at 11:00:59 pm
Tensions have risen sharply in the region over the past year as Israeli forces have carried out arrest raids and other counter-terrorism efforts in the West Bank following a series of terrorist attacks.
Palestinian terrorist attacks in Israel and the West Bank in recent months have left 15 Israelis dead and many more injured.
At least 86 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the year, most of them in attacks or during clashes with security forces, although some were unrelated civilians and others were killed under circumstances that are being investigated.
Settler violence against Palestinians has also increased in recent months.
