Soldiers manning a checkpoint west of Efrat Tuesday morning shot and killed an Israeli Arab terrorist who tried to run them down. One soldier was lightly wounded when the terrorist smashed into an army vehicle.
The attack occurred around 7 a.m. (midnight EDT) near Beitar Illit and the intersection of the Tzur Hadassah community. Soldiers noticed a car bearing Israeli license plates speeding toward the checkpoint.
They signaled for him to slow down and noticed that his driving was erratic. The car sped past the checkpoint, and troops tracked down the driver at a nearby gas station. After they signalled him to stop, the terrorist smashed into an army vehicle and aimed at the soldiers with his car, lightly injuring one before the troops opened fire and killed him as he tried to escape.
The driver, bearing an Israeli identity card, was from eastern Jerusalem, the home of several terrorists who have carried out vehicle attacks on Israelis, using cars, a bulldozer and a tractor. Three people were killed in one attack, and dozens were injured.
Tuesday’s attack still is under investigation.