Palestinian gunmen opened fire on Israeli soldiers in the West Bank.
By Erin Viner
The violence erupted when IDF troops arrived in the village of Silat al-Harithiya on Sunday to prepare the demolition of the home belonging to a terrorist who murdered Israeli Yehuda Dimantman.
In addition to shooting attacks, hundreds of Palestinians hurled rocks and firebombs at the soldiers, who responded with “riot dispersal equipment and also fired at gunmen they had spotted,” said the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.
While the Israeli military did not confirm a fatality, the Palestinian Health Ministry said one Palestinian was killed and 10 others were wounded.
Israel maintains the continuance of British Mandatory Defense Emergency Regulations authorizing the seizure and razing of residences belonging to violent offenders in accordance with policy aimed at deterring future attacks.
The victim was murdered and 2 other Israelis were injured when the car they were in was ambushed and sprayed with bullets after leaving the West Bank Jewish outpost of Homesh en route to the Shavei Shomron community on 16 December.
Four suspects identified as members of the Gaza-based Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror group were arrested for involvement in Dimantman’s killing following a massive 2-day manhunt.
The terror squad was captured in Silat al-Harithiya, which is northwest of Jenin, “pursuant to operational and intelligence activity by the Israeli Security Agency (ISA), IDF and the special anti-terrorism unit of the Israel Police,” read an ISA (Shin Bet) statement obtained by TV7.
The weapons believed to have been used to kill Dimantman were also seized, including 2 M16 rifles and a “Carlo” improvised submachine gun.
The Israeli military has announced that the floor of a building on which one of the terrorists lived will be destroyed.