Two Israeli residents of Samaria have been wounded in a shooting attack in Huwara by terrorists as their vehicle was traveling on the main road, Route 60, on Sunday afternoon around 4 PM.
חווארה. הרכב שנפגע בפיגוע הירי לפחות 20 קליעים פגעו ברכב pic.twitter.com/xpmEFBAzYM
— בז news (@1717Bazz) March 19, 2023
This is the second such attack on Israelis by Palestinian Authority terrorists in less than a month, in the same location. As with the previous attack, witnesses said the terrorist simply walked up to the victims’ vehicle and opened fire at point-blank range.
But this time, the driver was armed and was able to fire back.
He has been identified as 44-year-old David Stern, formerly of Far Rockaway, New York, a dual US-Israel citizen, former US Marine and a mixed martial arts expert who does weapons training and teaches self-defense and runs a small farm. He is also an instructor for community rapid response units.
Stern was driving to a Torah lesson in Jerusalem when he and his wife Rachel, 37, were attacked. The IDF said in a statement that the wounded man managed to shoot the terrorist despite his own wounds. He then applied a tourniquet to his wounds and prevented a major loss of blood.
נס מטורף: הנהג בחווארה הוא מאמן נשק ולחימה. הספיק לרוקן מחסנית אקדח לעבר המחבל ואף לעשות לעצמו חוסם עורקים פלוס חבישה ראשונית. מצבו קשה אך בהכרה (תתפללו עליו בבקשה).אשתו נפגעת חרדה. לא היו ברכב ילדים.הפיגוע היה בצ. עינאבוס כמאה מטר ממקום הרצח של הלל ויגל יניב הי”ד@hakolhayehudi pic.twitter.com/rAKEbfQILK
— אלחנן גרונר (@elchangr) March 19, 2023
The driver, a man around age 35, was taken to Beilinson Medical Center in Petach Tikvah in very serious condition with a head wound. Doctors at the hospital subsequently said they managed to stabilize his condition, which remains moderate to serious, adding that he was no longer in danger of losing his life.
כך נראה גיבור!
רגעים לאחר שירו לו בראש ובפלג הגוף העליון, דויד שטרן הלך בכוחות עצמו עם התחבושת שחבש את עצמו, מהרכב לאמבולנס. pic.twitter.com/mLWshMp7t5— הלל ביטון רוזן | Hallel Bitton Rosen (@BittonRosen) March 19, 2023
His wife, around age 30, suffered shock. Both are residents of the Jewish community of Itamar in Samaria.
According to a spokesperson for the Samaria Regional Council, contrary to earlier reports there were no children in the vehicle at the time of the attack.
Pictures of the car show dozens of bullet holes through the front window.
Prayers are requested for AAlexander Dovid Dov ben Necha Rochel, who is reported in very serious condition.
זירת פיגוע הירי ב-חווארה pic.twitter.com/6PLlEy9IOb
— בז news (@1717Bazz) March 19, 2023
The terrorist was identified as 28-year-old Leith Nazar, a resident of the village of Madama near Huwara. He used a Carlo machine gun which he left at the scene of the attack as he made his escape on foot, apparently after being shot. He was tracked down and neutralized shortly after by an officer of the elite IDF Golani Brigade. He was then arrested and transferred to a hospital in the custody of security personnel.
Netanyahu Praises ‘Wounded Hero’
In response to the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement posted to Twitter that he was “praying for the wounded hero who was injured in the Huwara attack, who was able to neutralize the terrorist.
מתפלל לשלום הפצוע הגיבור מהפיגוע בחווארה שהצליח לנטרל את המחבל. מחזק את כוחות הביטחון שפועלים בגזרה.
אני חוזר ואומר: כל אלה שמנסים לפגוע באזרחי ישראל – דמם בראשם.— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 19, 2023
“I send my support to the security forces operating in the area. I reiterate: Anyone trying to harm the citizens of Israel will pay the price,” he added.
הנשק של המחבל המתועב שביצע את פיגוע הירי ב-חווארה, דיווח על 2 פצועים כרגע קשה וקל pic.twitter.com/HNAys36l8Y
— בז news (@1717Bazz) March 19, 2023
Residents in the Palestinian Authority city of Shechem began celebrating the attack within minutes, distributing candles and other sweets in response to the news.
חלוקת מתוקים בחוארה: “מתוקים של פעולת (פיגוע) חוארה 19.3.2023, הניצחון הוא לנו” pic.twitter.com/NCH3Y6NXWa
— Moran T ? موران ت (@MoranT555) March 19, 2023
Less than a month earlier, on February 26, two Jewish brothers were murdered execution-style as their vehicle sat in traffic in Huwara.
Same Attack, Same Place, Three Weeks Earlier
Hallel Yaniv and Yagel Yaniv were both residents of the Jewish community of Har Bracha.
2 Jewish Brothers Killed by Drive-By Fire on Rt. 60 near Shechem
Within hours, Arab extremists in Judea and Samaria were gleefully celebrating the murders by handing out sweets to passersby.
Owner of Huwara Car Lot Jews Set on Fire a Released Terrorist
An outraged crowd of local Jewish residents flooded into Huwara that same night, torching homes and several businesses in the town.
Israelis Raise Thousands of Dollars for Huwara Arabs Following Jewish Retaliation Riot
But within 48 hours, a member of Israel’s Labor party had raised hundreds of thousands of shekels through a crowdfunding initiative to compensate Huwara residents who lost their homes and/or businesses in the riot.
Israeli military forces tracked down and eliminated Abdel Fattah Hussain Harusha, the Hamas terrorist behind the attack, during clashes in Jenin earlier this month.