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Palestinian attacks men at bus stop, flees with IDF gun

Local communities and the Barkan Industrial Park were ordered to close their gates as security forces hunted for the attacker.

The scene where a Palestinian attacked Israeli men at a bus stop, stabbing an IDF soldier and stealing his gun, using it to shoot at another man nearby, in Ariel on March 17, 2019. Photo by Flash90.
The scene where a Palestinian attacked Israeli men at a bus stop, stabbing an IDF soldier and stealing his gun, using it to shoot at another man nearby, in Ariel on March 17, 2019. Photo by Flash90.

A Palestinian attacked a group of Israeli men at the Ariel Junction in Samaria—stabbing a young Israel Defense Forces’ soldier, stealing his weapon and using it to fire at another man nearby.

Magen David Adom paramedics and security forces converged on the scenes to secure the area and treat the wounded.

Three people were injured, with at least one dying of their wounds, according to Israel National News.

The scene where a Palestinian attacked Israeli men at a bus stop in Ariel on March 17, 2019. Photo by Flash90.
The scene where a Palestinian attacked men at a bus stop in Ariel on March 17, 2019. Photo by Flash90.

Local communities and the Barkan Industrial Park were ordered to close their gates as security forces hunted for the attacker, who fled in the direction of Barkan.

The Arab enclaves of Jamma’in, Kifl Haris and Deir Istiya near Shechem/Nablus were sealed off by Israeli security forces.

“We are reinforcing the heroic IDF soldiers, and rely on the defense establishment and the IDF to reach these despicable terrorists and liquidate them,” said Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan following the killings.

“We never break down, never retreat. Settlement in Samaria is part of the people of Israel and part of the State of Israel. All the residents of Samaria, together with all the citizens of the State of Israel, depend on the IDF and strengthen the heroic soldiers,” he said.

Just a year ago, Jewish father of four Itamar Ben Gal was murdered in a stabbing attack while waiting for a hitchhike at the Ariel Junction. Less than six months ago, Barkan Industrial zone employees Kim Levengrond-Yehezkel and Ziv Hagbi were brutally slain by Arab co-worker Ashraf Na’alowa at the Alon Group factory offices.

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