JERUSALEM — An Israeli soldier was killed on Tuesday morning throughout a West Financial institution arrest raid when a rock thrown off a rooftop struck him within the head, the army mentioned.
The army usually carries out such predawn raids towards wished militants within the West Financial institution, sometimes encountering native resistance, however the killing of a soldier is uncommon and this marked the primary army casualty of the 12 months.
The army mentioned 21-year-old Workers Sgt. Amit Ben-Yigal was on “operational exercise” close to the West Financial institution metropolis of Jenin when a big rock was thrown off a rooftop and struck him on the top. A search was on for the attacker.
Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, a army spokesman, mentioned the forces had accomplished their mission and had been leaving the village of Yaabed when the soldier was struck. He known as the village a “identified hotbed of militant exercise.” He mentioned the soldier was sporting a protecting helmet and was shortly evacuated for medical remedy however later died of his wounds.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despatched condolences to the soldier’s household and vowed that “Israel’s lengthy arm would attain the terrorist” behind the assault.
Israel has seen a collection of shootings, stabbings and car-ramming assaults in recent times, largely carried out by lone attackers with no obvious hyperlinks to armed teams. Hamas and different Palestinian militant teams have praised the assaults however haven’t claimed duty for them. The latest such assault got here two weeks in the past, on Israel’s Memorial Day, when a Palestinian teenager stabbed an Israeli girl exterior a shopping mall earlier than he was shot and wounded by a bystander.
Tuesday’s raid was aimed toward arresting 4 Palestinians wished for stone-throwing at Israeli automobiles and different latest assaults. It comes a day after Israeli forces demolished the house of a Palestinian accused of being behind a lethal blast within the West Financial institution final 12 months.
Israel says 22-year-old Qassem Barghouti carried out the assault final August that killed 17-year-old Israeli Rina Shnerb and wounded her father and brother close to the settlement of Dolev. Because the demolition occurred Monday, dozens of Palestinians burned tires and hurled rocks and firebombs towards Israeli troops, wounding a number of within the ensuing clashes.
The uptick comes as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is anticipated to reach Wednesday for a fast go to to debate Israeli plans to annex massive elements of the West Financial institution as early as this summer time.
Netanyahu is ready to swear in his new authorities this week and his new coalition settlement permits him to current an annexation proposal as quickly as July 1.
The Palestinians declare the complete West Financial institution, captured by Israel within the 1967 Mideast struggle, because the heartland of an impartial state. Annexing chunks of this territory would probably put an finish to the Palestinian already diminishing hopes of a two-state resolution. Annexation additionally would anger the worldwide group, which overwhelmingly helps Palestinian statehood.
However with a pleasant White Home behind him, and a Trump Mideast plan envisioning handing 30% of the West Financial institution to everlasting Israeli management, Netanyahu seems poised to push ahead with the plan and produce dozens of Jewish settlements underneath Israeli sovereignty.