Palestinian ramming attack kills two Israeli soldiers in West Bank - military

[rooster59]

Palestinian ramming attack kills two Israeli soldiers in West Bank - military

By Ali Samudi

 

An Israeli soldier is taken off a helicopter into the emergency room in a hospital in Petah Tikva, March 16, 2018. REUTERS/Nir Keidar

 

JENIN, West Bank (Reuters) - A Palestinian motorist rammed and killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded two others in the occupied West Bank on Friday, the Israeli military said.

 

The army said the driver was a "terrorist" who ran over soldiers who were securing routes near the Jewish settlement of Mevo Dotan, west of the Palestinian town of Jenin.

 

Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, said on Twitter that an "officer and soldier were killed and two soldiers were injured in a car-ramming attack," and that the attack was "deliberate".

 

The motorist was detained, treated in an Israeli hospital for injuries and was being questioned, the military said.

 

Israel's Shin Bet security agency identified him as Alaa Rateb Aa-Latif Kabha from the village of Barta, near Jenin, adding: "The working assumption is that this was a terrorist attack."

 

It said that Kabha had previously been jailed for security offences and had been released in April 2017. Palestinian media reports said he was 26.

 

Israeli military authorities in the West Bank swiftly announced the "immediate and broad suspension" of all permits for the family of the Palestinian driver. A military spokesman said these included 71 employment permits and 26 trade permits.

 

Some of the injured soldiers were taken by helicopter to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, and were wheeled into ambulances on stretchers.

 

Israel's Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Twitter: "We will act to secure the death penalty for the terrorist, for the demolition of his home and for the punishment of anyone who collaborated."

 

The Islamist militant faction Hamas welcomed the ramming attack but did not claim responsibility for it.

 

Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said that it took place 100 days after U.S. President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Dec. 6, a move which angered Palestinians and reversed years of U.S. policy.

 

Another Hamas official, Fawzi Barhoum, lauded the "hero of the Jenin attack," and said it showed that Palestinians were willing to "continue the path of resistance, using all its tools to protect themselves against the occupation."

 

Car-ramming attacks have been used by Palestinians against Israelis in violence that has surged in 2015 but has been on a lower ebb in recent months.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-03-17

[Different]

10 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Israeli military authorities in the West Bank swiftly announced the "immediate and broad suspension" of all permits for the family of the Palestinian driver. A military spokesman said these included 71 employment permits and 26 trade permits.

How nice!?

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Different said:

How nice!?

Definitely not nice. What I'm wondering about is if there is any evidence that such a form of consequences works as a deterrent.

[Morch]

56 minutes ago, Different said:

How nice!?

 

It's not supposed to be "nice". Expecting a "nice" unspecified response is disingenuous.

 

50 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Definitely not nice. What I'm wondering about is if there is any evidence that such a form of consequences works as a deterrent.

 

As a deterrent, I'd say only partially effective - the bottom line is that some go for it anyway, knowing full well there will be consequences for their family. There are payments made by the Palestinian Authority to immediate families of such perpetrators, which offsets some of the effect. I'm guess that the deterrent angle, works better with regard to more organized efforts: the more people involved, the likelier others will notice, and perhaps report. With the single perpetrator (aka lone wolf) attacks, maybe not as effective.

 

The other angle is prevention. Family members of those involved in such action sometimes get involved in such themselves, after the perpetrator is imprisoned or killed. Revoking work permits is also revoking access and limiting such opportunities. I don't think that the process is irreversible, although months could pass until then.

 

The more problematic issue with collective punishment meted by Israel on the Palestinians is house demolitions (this one is going that way as well).

[sanemax]

23 minutes ago, stevenl said:

How about a reaction to the contents of the post in stead of deflecting.

Would be better if you just posted something like "Collective punishment doesnt work" , rather than making nazi comparisons , then people may respond without mentioning your nazi comparisoms 

[Scott]

Off-topic posts removed.   I don't think we need to re-fight WWII.