PA security worker rams 3 IDF soldiers Saturday night, Justice Ministry looks into fatal encounter in Jerusalem

The Israel Defense Forces reported that three IDF soldiers were injured in a car ramming attack on Saturday night near the town of Beit Ummar, near Hebron, by a man later identified as an employee of the Palestinian Authority Security Services. 

The driver, 24-year-old Mohammad Ra’ed Baradiyah from the nearby town of Surif, accelerated his car towards the three soldiers who were on duty to secure the roads from people throwing rocks at passing cars. After Baradiyah hit the soldiers with his vehicle, a fourth IDF soldier in the area shot him, killing him. 

One of the three victims was taken to Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem and remains in serious condition, while the condition of the other two, both at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem has improved, with one soldier being discharged. 

Following the attack, head of the Yisrael Beytenu party, Knesset Member Avigdor Liberman issued a message of support to the injured soldiers. 

“I wish them a speedy recovery, and congratulate the Givati Brigade soldiers and the IDF on the elimination of the despicable terrorist,” Liberman said. 

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid also referred to the terror attack on social media.

“A severe terror attack in Gush Etzion this evening. I send my wishes for a speedy recovery to the wounded and support to their families. Terror has to be dealt with a heavy hand and, consistently, I trust the security forces to continue to work with determination against terror and to restore peace for the residents,” Lapid said. 

Israeli security forces stay on high alert during the Muslim month of Ramadan, which historically has seen an increase in violence and tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. 

The ramming attack follows bloodshed which took place in the Old City of Jerusalem on Friday night, when 26-year-old Mohammed Alasibi from Hura, a Bedouin Arab village in southern Israel, allegedly tried to tear a weapon away from an IDF soldier. The suspect was shot and killed. 

A relative of Alasibi rejected the report, with a cousin demanding that “if you want us to believe that he tried to attack police, then show us the security footage.” 

According to NPR, a 17-year-old named Noureddine “saw Alasibi confront police who had stopped a female worshipper on her way to al-Aqsa mosque. … He said some kind of disagreement broke out between Alasibi and the officers before he heard a dozen shots ring out.” 

“Unfortunately the terror attack itself was not recorded on the body cameras of the officers involved,” said the Israel Police in a statement. According to the police report, the incident happened in an area not covered by security cameras, which is unusual for the Old City. 

The Israeli Justice Ministry’s Department of Internal Police Investigations is looking into the incident and will decide whether to launch an investigation.