Suspected militant attacks in West Bank occur amid tension

Jerusalem, Dec 12: Tension continued to escalate between Jews and Palestinians following several violent incidents in the West Bank Friday, injuring several Israelis.

Friday afternoon, a suspected Palestinian militant threw acid at Israeli civilians at the Tunnel Checkpoint near Beitar Illit in the West Bank, close to Jerusalem.

"Initial indication suggests a Palestinian attacked a group of civilians, including children, with acid at the Tunnel Checkpoint," Xinhua quoted the Israel Defence Forces' (IDF) spokesperson unit as saying in a statement.

According to the IDF, a family with four girls picked up a hitch-hiker near the checkpoint, the hitch-hiker then threw acid at them.

It also charged that the perpetrator tried to attack the father, who was driving, with a screwdriver, and then tried to escape, but was shot in his leg by an Israeli civilian who was at the scene.

Magen David Adom (the Israeli Red Cross) Emergency Services spokesperson Zaki Heller said that the father was slightly wounded in his face and four girls sustained light injuries in their limbs, and were evacuated to the Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem.

Earlier Friday, a Palestinian driver crashed a concrete barrier at an IDF base near Nablus in the West Bank. No one was injured and it is yet unclear whether it was an attempted militant attack.

In another clash between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers near Hebron early Friday, a border police guard was slightly wounded.

Israeli security forces were also on high alert Friday during the weekly Muslim prayers at the Temple Mount holy site and the Old City, fearing violent clashes would ensue, following the death of Palestinian minister Ziad Abu Ein Wednesday following clashes with Israeli security forces.

IANS