IDF soldier shot dead in Ramallah anti-terror raid

Palestinian intruder killed in Hebron as terrorist incidents on rise

By ICEJ News

07 May 2009

An IDF soldier was shot and killed Thursday while attempting to quell a riot during a pre-dawn anti-terror operation near the West Bank city of Ramallah, just hours after IDF troops shot dead a Palestinian intruder near the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the flashpoint city of Hebron.

The Ramallah incident occurred shortly after 3 am last night, while an IDF reconnaissance unit was conducting searches in the area. During the operation several Palestinians started a riot, which escalated into a violent physical clash with the soldiers, during which a gunshot was fired, hitting 20-year-old Sgt. Noam Adin Rechter Levy in the head.

An IDF investigation later revealed that Levy was mortally wounded after he and an accompanying officer left their unit in a bid to flank the rioting Palestinians. The pair encountered more Palestinians, with whom they began to scuffle. Investigators are awaiting autopsy results but believe that the bullet that killed Levy was fired from his own weapon. It is currently unclear what caused the discharge, and all possibilities are being investigated.

Meanwhile, IDF troops arrested 16 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank in overnight operations after a sharp rise in security incidents was registered in the area in April. The latest incident occurred earlier Wednesday night when Israeli border guards stationed at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron shot and killed a suspected Palestinian attacker who approached a guard post and disobeyed several orders to halt.

Security personnel first became suspicious of the man when he approached their post and refused to undergo a search. The man then fled toward a guard post located nearby, where other officers were standing watch. The officers called out to him, warning him to stop his progress, and fired warning shots into the air. When the suspect refused to heed the call they fired, hitting and killing him. Sappers arrived at the scene to check whether the man was carrying a bomb or a weapon, but discovered that he was unarmed.

The tomb, believed to be purchased by Abraham, is holy to both Jews and Muslims. During recent months a number of Palestinians have been detained at the Border Guard checkpoint near the Cave of Patriarchs for attempting to assault security personnel.

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