Attacks on Israeli soldiers by mobs of Palestinian Authority Arabs ended badly – fatally for at least two of the rioters, and with a range of injuries for at least seven others – on the Gaza border and in the area of the village of Iraq Burin, near Shechem, in Samaria.
Two violent clashes took place along the southern border with Gaza, where approximately 50 Arabs hurled rocks and rolled burning tires at IDF soldiers, endangering the troops.
The soldiers fired warning shots, according to the IDF, before opening targeted fire at those who were threatening their lives.
“Warning shots were fired at one location but when the rioting continued shots were fired at three main instigators who posed a threat to the soldiers and to the security fence,” said an IDF spokesperson.
The official Palestinian Authority WAFA news agency reported that a 16-year-old Arab boy was hit by a bullet in the chest and later died of his wounds. Three others were critically wounded according to the report.
There was no confirmation from the IDF.
In Samaria at the Arab village of Burin, similar violence was taking place. Dozens of Arab attackers hurled “massive amounts of rocks” at Israeli soldiers who were deployed in the area to hunt down the killers of Rabbi Raziel Shevach, z’l.
IDF soldiers opened fire at the “main instigators” in response to the attack, the IDF spokesperson said.
One attacker was killed, and four others were injured, the IDF spokesperson confirmed.
According to the Bethlehem-based Ma’an news agency, the violence broke out in response to the presence of the soldiers and the establishment of the checkpoint.
The dead attacker was identified by local sources as a 17-year-old Arab youth.
Arab terrorists fired 22 bullets at point-blank range into the rabbi’s windshield as he was driving near the entrance to his home community of Havat Gilad on Tuesday evening, and then fled. He succumbed to his wounds within minutes.