Soldiers detained four Palestinians with knives headed for Migdal Oz in Gush Etzion on Saturday evening.The suspects were spotted by lookouts in an army control room. A Kfir infantry company dispatched to the scene located the suspects, and found three knives and an improvised weapon in their possession.“The suspects were en route to the community to carry out a terror attack, which was prevented due to the rapid identification by the lookouts, and the speedy arrival of the force. The suspects have been taken for questioning,” the IDF said.Capt. Nir Mor, Commander of the 96th Kfir Company, said he received a report from the control room about four suspects approaching the community’s fence.“We’re glad we prevented an incident that could have been very severe. We are prepared for every mission we’ll get,” Mor said.The incident comes one day after a 16-year-old girl from east Jerusalem attempted to stab a border police officer stationed at Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate, before being disarmed and wrestled to the ground, police said Saturday. The suspect, a resident Jabel Mukaber, was arrested immediately following the attack, during which one officer sustained a minor cut to his leg.The incident follows a recent uptick in terrorist attacks throughout the nation over the past two weeks.
On December 23, Rami Ravid, a 41-year-old police officer, was stabbed in the back by a Palestinian terrorist next to the West Bank Highway 60 junction, just outside of Jerusalem and Ramallah.
Ravid was rushed to Shaare Zedek Medical Center with a 15-centimeter blade still lodged in his back. Although the knife was successfully removed during surgery, he lost of a kidney. Police are continuing to search for his assailant.
Daniel K. Eisenbud contributed to this report.
