A resident of the Jewish community of Yitzhar in Samaria escaped a mob attack Thursday afternoon near the Arab village of Burin.
The resident, Yossi Paylent, was stuck in his car near the Yitzhar Junction, when the attack occurred. His vehicle was suddenly surrounded by a mob of some 20 villagers from Burin, who began to hurl large rocks at the vehicle.
Some of the rocks which are hurled at Israeli drivers by Arab attackers on the roads of Judea and Samaria are the size of oranges and larger, with sharp, irregular edges, comprised of the rosy hard, quartz-like material known as “Jerusalem stone.” They can be as deadly as any bullet, and are wielded in precisely the same manner, with the same intent.
Paylent said that he dispersed the mob by firing shots in the air with his personal weapon. He said the attackers did not leave the scene altogether but the arrival of another Israeli vehicle at the spot where he apparently ran out of gas also made the attackers move back a little. Paylent said the Arabs did flee to Burin 20 minutes later, when soldiers arrived at the scene. He added that he was surprised that the soldiers did not chase after them, but figures they were given orders not to.
In two separate incidents earlier in the day, Palestinian Authority Arabs hurled rocks at Israelis in vehicles traveling near the Judean Jewish community of Tekoa, located in eastern Gush Etzion. No one was injured in the attacks, but the vehicles were damaged. IDF troops set out to search for the attackers.
Tekoa is nestled in the foothills near the Herodion, where King Herod's tomb was discovered.