Hamas officials on Saturday praised the Palestinian Authority Arab who struck and wounded two Israeli policemen when he drove his Mercedes into them at a checkpoint in the Yehuda-Shomron area. One officer was moderately wounded, and the other sustained minor injuries. "This attack is a natural response to the ongoing Israeli violations," said Hamas Spokesman Fawzi Barhoum.

The 37-year-old driver was arrested after he told police he had intentionally driven his car toward the two traffic police officers who were checking motorists in a Yehuda-Shomron area suburb of Jerusalem, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.