It was the latest incident in a string of attacks that have made the West Bank city of Hebron the focus of the violent wave of Palestinian violence that has left 11 Israelis and a few 70 Palestinians dead over the past month. An Israeli military spokesman says, “Our activities in all of the cases have been responses to Palestinian aggression”.
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It was not immediately clear if it was referring to the policeman or another person, and police did not clarify.
Palestinian security officials identified him as Ibrahim Skafi, 22, from Hebron.
“Moments ago, IDF forces thwarted attempted stabbing attack at Gush Etzion junction by Palestinian armed with knife”.
Israeli government representatives responded that Israeli citizens are exposed to “daily terrorism, incitement and disinformation on the part of the Palestinians”, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Since October 1, Israeli forces have killed at least 73 Palestinians, including unarmed protesters, bystanders and suspected attackers.
A few Palestinians seen holding knives have been shot on suspicion that they were about to carry out an attack.
Former Palestinian detainee Muhammed Allan (C hugging) celebrates with friends and family at his families house in Nablus in the West Bank on November 5, 2015, after he was released from Israeli jail. “One crude cartoon making the rounds on Facebook, including on the official Palestinian TV page before it disappeared late Tuesday, depicts an Israeli soldier as an ape, accompanied by a pig, over a bloodied youth”, The Times wrote.
Israeli leaders have accused Palestinian political and religious leaders of inciting the violence. Palestinians said the station had urged people to join stone-throwing demonstrations but nothing more.
Many attackers who have targeted Israeli forces come from Hebron, a stronghold of the Islamist movement Hamas.
But the presence of 500 Israeli settlers near the city centre, living behind barbed wire and watchtowers, with an army-patrolled buffer zone, has kept tensions high.
On Monday, Israeli Education Minister and head of the right-wing Jewish Home Party, Naftali Bennett, forced his way into Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque under the protection of Israeli police.
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Police said the incident is being investigated, but Ascherman questioned how they appear to have no leads even with the video.
