One lightly hurt in suspected West Bank car ramming attack
Security forces conducting searches after motorist flees from scene.
By JPOST.COM STAFF, YAAKOV LAPPINUpdated: OCTOBER 21, 2015 13:00Israeli soldiers check cars at a checkpoint near the West Bank City of Jericho(photo credit: REUTERS)
One police officer was lightly injured in a suspected car ramming attack attempt Wednesday in the West Bank near the Ofra settlement, located between Jerusalem and Nablus.The motorist suspected in the incident fled from the scene after his vehicle, with an Israeli license plate, rammed into a security checkpoint on Highway 60.During the incident, an officer shot toward the car in suspicion, however the vehicle continued down the road. According to police, the vehicle came to a stop after a few hundred meters and the driver fled by foot in the direction of the nearby Palestinian village of Silwad.The motives behind the incident remained unclear, and police were investigating the matter.The IDF has erected blockades in the area and was conducting sweeps in attempts to locate the suspect.The incident came after the IDF carried out a large-scale sweep of security suspects in overnight raids in the West Bank between Tuesday and Wednesday, arresting 47 Palestinians, including 16 Hamas members.More than 20 of the 47 suspects allegedly took part in unorganized terror attacks and violent disturbances.Security forces arrested Hamas members in the Balata refugee camp south of Nablus, Inbus, which is also south of Nablus, in Arura, north of Ramallah, and in Sinjule, northeast of Ramallah.Hamas members were also nabbed in Beit Kahil, northwest of Hebron, and in Hebron. Additional Hamas member were arrested in Dura and Beit Awa, southwest of Hebron, and in Samoa, south of Hebron.On Tuesday, a Palestinian terrorist was shot and killed after carrying out an attempted vehicular ramming and stabbing attack, in which an Israeli solider and civilian were lightly wounded at the Gush Etzion Junction in the West Bank.
