Israeli security forces have arrested four Palestinians involved in assaulting an off-duty Israel Defense Forces soldier and stealing his weapon in Judea over the weekend, authorities said on Monday.
Security forces launched an extensive intelligence and operational effort following Saturday’s attack near the South Hebron Hills community of Susya, according to a joint statement by the IDF, Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) and Israel Police.
During searches in the area, troops recovered the stolen weapon and arrested two of the suspects, the statement said.
Overnight Sunday, soldiers from the IDF’s undercover Duvdevan unit arrested a third suspect during an operation in the nearby Palestinian city of Yatta.
On Monday, a fourth suspect surrendered to the Israeli Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration, which coordinates with the Palestinian Authority.
“All of the terrorists were transferred to the security forces for further investigation,” the statement added.
Eliram Azulay, head of the Mount Hebron Regional Council, told local media over the weekend that the soldier was wounded by a hurled stone.
“The soldier was evacuated in moderate condition to the hospital,” he said. The council alleged that the terrorists “opened fire toward a nearby farm” with the stolen weapon.
The incident came on the backdrop of several attacks in Judea and Samaria, including a similar one on Friday in which, during an altercation with Israelis near Havat Gilad, west of Nablus (Shechem), Palestinians snatched a weapon from one of them and opened fire from close range.
Benayahu Melet, 32, a member of Havat Gilad’s rapid-response security team and the community’s agriculture director, was killed.
Maj. Yuval Ezra, 27, from Herzliya, a commander in the 411th Battalion of the 282nd Artillery Brigade, later succumbed to his wounds. Six others were injured.
IDF Central Command head Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth described the situation in Judea and Samaria as “tense,” speaking in a meeting with local community leaders on Friday.
“Following the recent events, and especially this morning’s attack, there is concern about escalation throughout Judea and Samaria,” the military quoted him as saying. “We are carrying out counter-terrorism operations to prevent the area from spiraling into further violence and are using every means at our disposal.”
