The IDF early Wednesday morning, together with the Border Police and the Civil Administration, demolished the home of the terrorist who carried out a shooting attack near Ariel, killing a solider and a father of 12, according to the IDF Spokesperson. IDF forces entered the Al-Zawiya neighborhood near Bethlehem, where Omar Abu Lila's home is located, and were met with clashes. However, by 2:30 a.m., Palestinian sources were reporting that the home demolition was complete.
Photos taken by social networks showed an IDF bulldozer moving through the village. Central Command Commander Maj.-Gen. Nadav Padan signed an order to demolish Abu Lila's home.
The terrorist,19, was identified after an intelligence and operational effort by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), the Special Patrol Unit, and the IDF on March 19. He was killed during his attempted arrest by the IDF in a fire exchange. إحدى جرافات الاحتلال خلال اقتحامها بلدة الزاوية غرب سلفيت. pic.twitter.com/y37By3TaUB
— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) April 23, 2019
Days before, Abu Lila had stolen a vehicle and drove to the nearby Gitai Avishar junction, where he started shooting.
One civilian, Rabbi Ahiad Ettinger, 47, and the father of 12, was severely injured when trying to stop Abu Lila. He succumbed to his wounds the next day.
Just before Ettinger was shot, he was able to recognize that he was in the middle of an attack, drew his gun and shot at the terrorist a number of times, his son-in-law Ze'ev Goldstein said.
Gal Keidan, 19, a soldier guarding the Ariel junction, was also killed at the scene.
Another soldier, identified as Alexander Dvorsky, a young immigrant from Moldova, was also injured but later stabilized."The IDF will continue to act in order to prevent terrorism and maintain security in the region," the IDF spokesperson said. In addition to the home demolition, during the night, IDF soldiers arrested five people suspected of involvement in terror-related activities. The suspects were brought in for interrogation.
Further, IDF forces secured Joseph's Tomb overnight to allow close to 1,500 Jewish worshipers to pray there in honor of the Passover holiday. There were no incidents at the tomb.