On Tuesday, a Palestinian driver drove his car into a soldier in Israel, injuring her severely. Then, he was killed by Israeli police in occupied West Bank. He was fourth Palestinian victim to a series violent incidents during the day.
It was the latest in a growing wave of violence between Israel and Palestine following the Jerusalem bombings that left two Israelis dead last week.
The violence broke out overnight near Hebron. According to it, soldiers opened fire upon Palestinians throwing rocks and explosives. It stated that Palestinian gunmen also opened fire.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry Mufid Khalil was 44 years old and injured in an Israeli fire attack, another incident occurred when two brothers were shot dead by Israeli fire. The incident happened during clashes between troops near Kafr Ein, west Ramallah, the northern West Bank. Jawad Rimawi and Dhafr Rimawi were the names given by Wafa, a Palestinian news agency.
The Israeli military stated that troops were under attack by Palestinians who were throwing stones and firebombs. Soldiers responded with livefire.
The vehicle was captured on security camera turning around in front the woman and then slowing down before acceleration and running her over.
The driver drove off and she was thrown into the air. The Israeli army later confirmed that the woman was a soldier.
Police pursued the driver and shot him. Rani Abu Ali, 45 years old, of Beitunia on the West Bank was taken to a Jerusalem hospital and declared dead.
Tensions between Israelis & Palestinians have been escalating for months, with nightly Israeli raids in West Bank. These raids were prompted by a series deadly attacks on Israelis that claimed 19 lives in the spring.
The year 2006 has seen the most deaths of Palestinians since 2006. This year saw more than 140 Palestinians die in Israeli-Palestinian fightings in the West Bank or east Jerusalem. According to the Israeli army most of the Palestinians who were killed are militants. Stone-throwing youths protesting Israeli military incursions, and others not involved with confrontations, have been killed as well.
According to a new report by the army, the West Bank is in a fragile state as an Israeli government that is hardline prepares to take power. Since March, the army claimed it had mobilized thousands of troops and seized around 250 weapons from 250 Palestinians.
Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem in 1967’s Mideast war. The Palestinians want these territories to build their desired independent state.