Terrorists Fire at MKs Visiting Kever Yosef

Palestinian terrorists fired on IDF soldiers providing security for a group of MKs visiting Kever Yosef in Shechem on Tuesday night.

The shots were fired as the MKs were preparing to leave the compound. Soldiers returned fire and no Israelis were injured, baruch Hashem.

The delegation included MKs Boaz Bismuth, Amichai Chikli, Idit Silman and Nissim Vatori of Likud; Almog Cohen and Limor Sohn Har-Melech of Otzma Yehudit; Yoni Meshariki of Shas; and Ohad Tal of Religious Zionism.

The incoming MKs were invited to visit by the head of the Shomron Regional Council, Yossi Dagan.

Ahead of the visit, a Palestinian terror group calling itself the Balata Brigade warned the MKs not to follow through with their visit, saying, “We are ready, and you will see the unthinkable.”

One Palestinian was killed during the clashes. The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades identified him as Mahdi Hashash and said he was a member of their group. The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades is affiliated with Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party.

Israeli security officials said Hashash was shot while trying to throw an explosive device at soldiers.

Meanwhile, IDF, Shin Bet and Border Police forces arrested 12 wanted individuals on suspicion of involvement in terror activities in Yehudah and Shomron overnight Tuesday.

As well as operating in the area of Kever Yosef, Israeli security forces operated in the villages of Nabi Saleh and Al-Lubban, arresting two wanted individuals.

During the operation in Nabi Saleh, violent unrest broke out, with Palestinians throwing stones and attempting to prevent the forces from passing through.

IDF forces also operated in Beit Lechem, arresting two and seizing illegally acquired weapons.