JERUSALEM (JTA) — An Israeli soldier was stabbed and moderately injured outside the West Bank settlement of Efrat.
The attack, at 6 a.m. Sunday, followed five others between Friday and Saturday that left three Arab assailants dead.
The assailant in Sunday’s attack was shot dead after stabbing the Israeli officer, who was patrolling near the entrance to Efrat, located in the Etzion bloc. Like his victim, the stabber was taken to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital and listed as in moderate condition.
He had been hiding in the bushes, perhaps for hours, according to reports, which noted that the communities electronic security system had picked up movement near the entrance to the community at least twice, beginning after 1 a.m.
The Israel Defense Forces moved an additional infantry battalion to the Hebron area of the West Bank following the weekend attacks, on of which was outside the flashpoint Palestinian city.
The attacks, a car ramming, three stabbings and rock and bottle throwing, came after a seeming downturn in the violence against Israelis that began with the Rosh Hashanah holiday last year.
