IDF raids suspect's village, prepares his home for razing

Two killed in terror attack in northern Israel; assailant shot, injured by passerby

Terrorist kills 68-year-old pedestrian Mordechai Shimshon in hit-and-run before fatally stabbing 19-year-old Aviv Maor at bus stop; separate ramming in south West Bank wounds 4 troops

A Palestinian terrorist from the West Bank killed two people and wounded two others in a stabbing and car-ramming rampage in northern Israel on Friday before being shot and injured by a passerby, authorities said.

The attack began shortly past noon in Beit She’an along northern Israel’s Route 71, security forces said. The terrorist, driving a car, rammed into a 16-year-old boy, who was later hospitalized with light wounds, and then into a 68-year-old man, killing him.

The man, identified as Mordechai Shimshon of Beit She’an, was pronounced dead on the scene despite attempts to resuscitate him, according to medics and police.

As security forces pursued the attacker, he drove northwest toward the city of Afula.

On the way, he stopped near Kibbutz Ein Harod, where he stabbed a 19-year-old kibbutz member to death. She was later identified as Aviv Maor.

At the entrance to Afula, the terrorist then drove into a utility pole while trying to run over another man, then got out of the car and hit the man in the head with a stone, an eyewitness told Channel 13. The man was hospitalized with a minor head wound.

The terrorist then tried to flee on foot but was shot and wounded by a civilian. He was then captured and taken to a hospital in moderate condition.

Marwat Abed, from the nearby town of Nazareth, told Haaretz that she and her family treated the man who suffered a head wound at the entrance to Afula.

“My daughters are doctors, so they treated him,” she said, adding that her husband pursued the terrorist. “The man who was injured is a cousin of ours. There are no Jews or Arabs — we’re all together.”

The IDF said the assailant had come into Israel illegally from the West Bank several days ago. According to Hebrew media, he was illegally employed in Israel and had used his employer’s vehicle in the attack.

The terrorist was identified as Ahmed al-Rub, 37, of Qabatiya in the northern West Bank. IDF troops subsequently raided the village, busting into al-Rub’s family home where they arrested his father.

According to Palestinian media, military bulldozers set up roadblocks inside Qabatiya as troops and other military vehicles patrolled the streets and snipers deployed on some rooftops. The military was also reportedly blocking the entrances to the town of some 25,000.

The IDF said it was also mapping out the assailant’s home in preparation for demolishing it. Israel says the move is aimed at deterring future attacks, but critics say evidence of the policy’s effectiveness is weak and that it amounts to collective punishment.

Maor’s parents Einat and Tal described their daughter as a nature lover with a deep affection for both people and animals.

“Avivi was a child of nature, loving of both humans and animals, and had a passion for horseback riding for many years,” they said in a statement. “She cared for all the injured animals in the valley. A talented photographer, a caring and loving daughter to her parents and a devoted sister.”

Maor is survived by her parents and two brothers, Nitzan and Itai. Funeral details were expected to be shared shortly.

Also on Friday, the IDF said that a suspected ramming attack was carried out near the Adorayim area in the southern West Bank.

According to the military, the suspect accelerated his vehicle and rammed a military vehicle carrying IDF troops. The suspect was detained at the scene and transferred to the Shin Bet for interrogation, while forces set up roadblocks in the area.

The IDF said four soldiers who were in the vehicle at the time suffered “non-urgent” injuries and were transferred to the hospital for treatment.