Two terrorists fired from a hill overlooking the main road east of the Tapuach junction, leading towards the Jordan Valley, hitting four soldiers dressed in civilian clothing for their Sabbath off from the army. The four were recent graduates of the pre-military Torah academy (mechina) in nearby Maaleh Ephraim, where they planned to spend a reunion Sabbath.
The murdered soldier was Sgt. Yossi Atiya, 21, from Petach Tikva, who was buried today (Sunday). One of the wounded is in serious condition, and the other two suffered light and moderate injuries. Some of them managed to use their weapons, firing back at the fleeing terrorists, but according to eyewitnesses, they never had a chance.
“The terrorists shot at them point-blank," said Yaakov Kreidelman, who was in another car targeted by the terrorists and was lightly injured on his forehead. "As we fled, we managed to see their faces. They were dressed in old-style army clothes. I backed up and fled from the scene until I reached the Tapuach junction and reported the attack to the soldiers there."
Another car was driven by David Zarka, who said, “I don’t believe I am alive. The noise of bullets is still reverberating in my ears. One more centimeter and I would have been dead. They shot at us from the front, from the back and from above."
“We saw the flash of gunfire immediately," Zarka said. "I held two of my children and jumped on them so that if anything happened, it would happen to me. My son began to shout, 'Daddy, Daddy.' He thought I was hurt, and I raised my head a bit to calm him down and tell him everything was OK."
Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), the acting PA chairman who is expected to win the PA elections today, said, "There is no justification for the attack, but there are reasons behind it.” He did not elaborate.
Knesset Member Aryeh Eldad (Nation Union) sharply criticized the Israeli government after the attack. "This is the first price of blood Israeli civilians are paying because of the government’s decision to remove checkpoints to allow free movement for terrorists on their way to vote,” Eldad said.
Other terrorist attacks over the weekend included several mortar shells that continued to pound the Jewish communities in Gaza Saturday. No one was hurt.
The murdered soldier was Sgt. Yossi Atiya, 21, from Petach Tikva, who was buried today (Sunday). One of the wounded is in serious condition, and the other two suffered light and moderate injuries. Some of them managed to use their weapons, firing back at the fleeing terrorists, but according to eyewitnesses, they never had a chance.
“The terrorists shot at them point-blank," said Yaakov Kreidelman, who was in another car targeted by the terrorists and was lightly injured on his forehead. "As we fled, we managed to see their faces. They were dressed in old-style army clothes. I backed up and fled from the scene until I reached the Tapuach junction and reported the attack to the soldiers there."
Another car was driven by David Zarka, who said, “I don’t believe I am alive. The noise of bullets is still reverberating in my ears. One more centimeter and I would have been dead. They shot at us from the front, from the back and from above."
“We saw the flash of gunfire immediately," Zarka said. "I held two of my children and jumped on them so that if anything happened, it would happen to me. My son began to shout, 'Daddy, Daddy.' He thought I was hurt, and I raised my head a bit to calm him down and tell him everything was OK."
Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), the acting PA chairman who is expected to win the PA elections today, said, "There is no justification for the attack, but there are reasons behind it.” He did not elaborate.
Knesset Member Aryeh Eldad (Nation Union) sharply criticized the Israeli government after the attack. "This is the first price of blood Israeli civilians are paying because of the government’s decision to remove checkpoints to allow free movement for terrorists on their way to vote,” Eldad said.
Other terrorist attacks over the weekend included several mortar shells that continued to pound the Jewish communities in Gaza Saturday. No one was hurt.