01-Dec-14: Knifing attacks north and south this morning

Gush Etzion Junction this morning: scene of the stabbing [Image Source]

Israel National News is the source of what we know about two Monday morning terror attacks.

Around 8 this morning, a Border Police officer manning a surveillance position right next to a security checkpoint in Tapuah Junction noticed a hooded Arab man approaching and, for reasons understandably never articulated, became suspicious. He called to the pedestrian to halt and was ignored. In other places, where other rules prevail, those circumstances might be the prelude to a shoot-first-ask-questions-later encounter. 

As so often happens in this country, it went differently and the young Arab is alive to tell his admirers about it... some day. 

In accordance with protocol, the security officer radioed to the checkpoint commander for instructions, presumably using not too many words. The commander and another soldier came running immediately. Their report is that the young Arab kept on coming, and stopped only when they cocked their guns. He resisted a pat-down and was subdued with moderate force. He also resisted their efforts to get to know him better, even after a knife was found in his clothing. He had no ID with him, which in these parts has consequences. He is now with the Shin Bet - alive, and likely to see at least his approaching 19th birthday. It's questionable whether that is a courtesy he intended to reciprocate to the disciplined young service-men and -woman who stand at the checkpoints.

In the past hour (mid-morning, Monday), there's word of a second knifing attempt with more serious immediate consequences. An Arab terrorist, evidently a young female, walked up to Gush Etzion Junction south of Jerusalem and tried to stab an Israeli civilian. She was shot in the attempt, and INN says she is in critical condition. 

Yedioth Aharonoth reports the terrorist was female and according to the ambulance people at Magen David Adom (MDA) there is another lightly wounded person at the scene. The scene of the terror attack is close to the one where a young mother, Dalia Lemkus, was murdered by an Arab terrorist three weeks ago.