According to a military spokesperson, three knife-wielding Palestinians arrived at the Gush Etzion Junction, a major crossroad in a Jewish settlement bloc in the West Bank, on Thursday night. Many of the Palestinian attackers in recent violence have come from Hebron. None of the soldiers were injured.
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A Palestinian government official told AFP they would be raising the issue with Greek diplomats.
The assailants in Gush Etzion were named as Ahmed Kawazbeh, 21, Muhanad Kawazbeh, 20, and Alaa Kawazbeh, 20.
About two hours later a Palestinian tried to stab soldiers near the West Bank city of Hebron before he was shot and killed by forces, the military said.
The assailant in Hebron was reported as Khalil Shalalda, 16, who also came from Sa’ir.
Frequent stabbing, shooting, and car-ramming attacks by Palestinians have killed 23 Israelis and a US citizen since mid-September.
The report added: ‘From January to August 2013, compared to the same period in 2012, the number of casualties caused by Israeli security forces increased more than four-fold, as security forces intervene in settler attacks or resulting clashes between settlers and Palestinians to disperse Palestinians, rather than to protect them from attacks by settlers’.
The Palestinian health ministry says 149 Palestinians have also been killed since October, with over half of attackers said to be from Israel.
Some 22 Israelis and 142 Palestinians have been killed in three months of violence, which some have branded a third uprising.
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Shortly afterward, IDF reservists shot and killed the three suspects, who according to initial investigations meant to ambush and stab the Israeli troops.
