Terror Attack Thwarted Outside Maaras Hamachpelah

A Palestinian who attempted to stab Border Police after he was caught carrying a concealed knife at the entrance to Maaras Hamachpelah was arrested on Tuesday, Arutz Sheva reported.

B’chasdei Shamayim, no injuries were reported.

Police stopped the terrorist, a 17-year-old Palestinian Authority resident, when the metal detector was triggered as he tried to enter the holy site. When the alarm went off a second time after he emptied his pockets, he was ordered to lift up his shirt to examine him for a concealed weapon, at which point he pulled out the knife at lunged at the officers. They drew their guns but were able to arrest him without firing any shots.

“The officers managed to prevent an apparent attempt to sneak the knife into Maaras Hamachpelah and carry out a stabbing attack,” a Border Police spokesperson said Tuesday afternoon.

The incident came after a terrorist stabbed an IDF soldier in Chevron on Monday, near Maaras Hamachpelah.

One soldier was lightly wounded, was treated at the scene by emergency medical teams and then evacuated to hospital.

The terrorist was shot and killed at the scene.