Israeli troops arrested several suspects in an “extensive” operation in Judea and Samaria on Sunday, in connection with a stoning attack earlier in the day in which an Israeli woman was seriously wounded, the army said in a statement.
The operation, which followed intelligence from the Shin Bet, is ongoing, according to the Israel Defense Forces. The village of Deir Nidham, some 12 miles northwest of Ramallah, has been blockaded, and roadblocks have been put in place on local traffic routes. The suspects have been transferred to the Shin Bet for interrogation. The victim in Sunday’s attack, Rebecca Teitel, 40, was struck in the face by a stone while driving with her children on Highway 465 near the town of Neve Tzuf, according to Israeli media reports. Her children were not injured in the incident. Binyanim Regional Council head Israel Ganz said on Sunday evening that Teitel was undergoing further treatment at the neurological department of Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer following head surgery.
“Rebecca is responsive, but her condition is still classified as serious,” he said. “I am here with her family at the hospital to give a brave hug from all the residents of Binyamin.”
Teitel’s sisters told Channel 12 that her condition was “not good.”
“She communicates with us but not verbally. She can’t speak,” they said, adding, “But we are optimistic, we’ve witnessed many miracles. We prayed for her together and hoped for the best.”
Rebecca Teitel’s husband, Yaakov Teitel, is currently serving two life sentences plus 30 years, following his conviction in 2013 for a series of nationalistically motivated terror attacks, including the murder of two Palestinians.
