Two female soldiers managed to escape a would-be attacker on Saturday night. The two were attacked by a Palestinian Authority man with a knife as they left their base in Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem.
The two reported the incident immediately, and Border Police began searching the area. They found the PA man nearby, and he admitted to having attempted to stab soldiers at the base.
He was arrested and taken in for questioning.
The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) recently reported that there were fewer terrorist attacks in 2010 than in 2009. In Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem there were 455 attacks reported in 2010 compared to 636 in 2009. The statistics do not include rock throwing attacks, which are aimed to causing fatal accidents to Jews.
While most terrorist attacks intend to kill, security forces discovered in early 2006 that dozens of PA youth carry out poorly planned attacks each year in a deliberate attempt to be sent to prison. While in prison, they can complete their high school exams with help from free study groups, and can even begin their university studies.