From the HERE City National Desk
HEBRON, West Bank — Israel told its army Friday to get ready to shut down the entire West Bank after soldiers killed two men the military said opened fire near Hebron, wounding five people.
The shooting happened Friday morning near the Yehuda Junction in the southern West Bank. Two of the wounded were in critical condition and three had light to moderate injuries, according to first responders, who said gunfire was still going on when they reached the scene. The wounded were taken to hospitals in Israel.
The military said the two gunmen were armed with an M16 rifle and a pistol and that its troops had stopped an attack on Israeli civilians. It has not said who the men were or what they were targeting.
Within hours, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it had told security forces to seal off Hebron at once and prepare to close all of the West Bank. Netanyahu called an emergency session of his Security Cabinet and blamed Hamas, saying the group had planned a major attack on civilians. He did not give details.
Such lockdowns have become routine. This is the fourth one in roughly a month, with gates and checkpoints closed between Palestinian villages and the main highways. The army also said Friday it had carried out dozens of raids and detained dozens of people, including members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The shooting comes days before Israelis vote Tuesday in a national election that will decide whether Netanyahu keeps his job.
Section: More Washington DC crime news
Filed under: Washington DC Public Safety News
