Still, the Israeli passengers refused to fly as long as the two Palestinian men remained on board.
Advertisement
The alleged attack occurred at Gush Etzion Junction, where many recent incidents have taken place.
In Israel, prosecutors filed indictments against two Jewish Israelis said to be responsible for an arson attack that killed a Palestinian toddler and his parents a year ago.
At the same time, 142 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, most while carrying out attacks and the rest in clashes with security.
Four Palestinians from the same town near Hebron were shot dead by Israeli forces on Thursday after alleged stabbing attempts in two separate incidents in the southern West Bank, the army said. “The force thwarted the attack and shot the assailant, resulting in his death”, the spokesperson added.
An earlier statement said: ‘Three attackers, armed with knives, attempted to stab soldiers guarding the Gush Etzion junction’.
Frequent stabbing, shooting, and car-ramming attacks by Palestinians have killed 23 Israelis and a US citizen since mid-September.
Shortly afterward, IDF reservists shot and killed the three suspects, who according to initial investigations meant to ambush and stab the Israeli troops.
The violence started in East Jerusalem, triggered by increasing visits of far-right Israelis to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a site holy to both Muslims and Jews, and then quickly spread throughout the West Bank, Israel, and the Gaza Strip.
Advertisement
Palestinian leaders say a younger generation sees no hope for the future living under Israeli security restrictions and with a stifled economy. Palestinians say it stems from frustration at decades of occupation.
