A Palestinian terrorist was captured on his way to carry out an attack on Monday afternoon walking along Route 60 near Ma’ale Lavona in the Shomron (Samaria). The terrorist was wearing IDF military fatigues but local residents identified him and notified local security services.
Soldiers from the Netzach Yehuda unit captured the Arab terrorist. Inside the terrorist’s bag was a hunting rifle, ammunition, a butcher’s knife, another knife, and pepper spray. The terrorist was taken for interrogation.
The IDF stated the terrorist is from Jenin. A Palestinian Authority source told Tazpit News Service that the father of the terrorist is an officer in the Palestinian Authority Preventive Security Service in Jenin.
A spokesman from the Binyamin Regional Council released a statement praising the response to the incident.
“Residents who spotted the terrorist on the side of the road called the security hotline, which reported directly to the army,” the statement read. “Soldiers were then rushed to the scene where they captured the terrorist who was found to have both weapons and ammunition in his possession.”
“The vigilance of our residents prevented a serious attack,”added Yisrael Gantz, the head of the Binyamin Regional Council. “The residents who immediately called the security hotline acted correctly. I thank the Council’s security department as well as the IDF for their prompt action. Your effective cooperation prevented a difficult event, with God’s help.”
In the predawn hours of Monday morning in the nearby Arab city of Jenin, IDF Border Patrol troops came under fire while entering the city on an arrest raid. The IDF troops engaged in a gun battle with the terrorists, killing at least four Palestinian suspects. No IDF soldiers were injured in the incident.