Manhunt on for Perpetrator of Deadly West Bank Terror Attack
by Benjamin Kerstein
One Israeli was killed, and two others were wounded, in a Palestinian terror attack in the West Bank on Sunday morning.
According to Hebrew news site Walla, the incident began at 9:45 a.m. when an assailant stabbed an IDF soldier to death at the Ariel junction in the West Bank. He then stole the soldier’s rifle and opened fire on passing cars.
The soldier was later identified as 19-year-old Staff Sgt. Gal Keidan of Be’er Sheva.
The driver of one of the cars, who has been named as 47-year-old Rabbi Ahiad Ettinger, was critically wounded.
Another vehicle was commandeered by the terrorist, who then fled the scene.
The terrorist then drove to the nearby Gitai Avishar junction and fired on a group of soldiers and civilians, wounding one, before escaping again.
According to media reports, the terrorist subsequently entered the Palestinian village of Burqin, and a manhunt is now underway there.
The IDF surrounded the village and blocked all access points. Forces were going house to house searching for the terrorist.
Additional forces have been sent to the area to prevent copycat attacks and assist in the manhunt.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said following the attack, “Security forces are pursuing the attackers. I am certain they will be apprehended. We will deal with them to the fullest extent of the law.”