Arab terrorists from the village of Umm Safa on Wednesday afternoon buried a powerful explosive device on the rocky hill near the town of Ateret, where extensive development work is ongoing.
The device was discovered by an excavator driver returning home after a day of work. At the last moment, the driver noticed a large device in the middle of the road, with a cable extending out from it into the bushes located a distance away. The driver reported the device to security forces, and a sapper called to the scene neutralized the explosive device.
The incident follows a series of riots led recently by Umm Safa residents against the town of Ateret and the development work carried out within the territory under Ateret's jurisdiction. Nearly every evening, dozens of Umm Safa residents leave their village to fire explosives directly at Ateret, hurling rocks at the workers and security forces guarding the site.
Two weeks ago, a car containing a powerful explosive device was located at the entrance to Ateret. The device was connected to a remote control, which would have been used to detonate it from a distance.
The vehicle had been scheduled to explode near a school bus, but was discovered hours earlier. Security forces called in a sapper, who safely neutralized the device.