Palestinian teen captured at Hawara checkpoint (Archive photo)
Photo: Moked Shomron
Armed teen detained at checkpoint
Palestinian youth captured at Hawara checkpoint in possession of two improvised handguns and cylinders suspected to be explosive devices; IDF soldiers seal off checkpoint, alert sappers
A Palestinian youth carrying two improvised handguns and three cylinders suspected to be explosive devices was nabbed Thursday at the Hawara checkpoint, south of the West Bank town of Nablus.
IDF soldiers found the weapons while searching the youth and promptly sealed off the checkpoint. Border Guard sappers were dispatched to the scene and detonated the explosive devices in a controlled manner.
In the past two months, the IDF has thwarted more than 17 attempts to smuggle weapons through the checkpoint.
The soldier who foiled the smuggling attempt, Private Gal Zavatsky, told Ynet about the incident.
Previous Incident
Efrat Weiss
Troops detain 16-year-old Palestinian with suspicious bag at Hawara checkpoint; sappers find explosive belt with six small explosive devices in bag
"I stood next to the metal detector at the checkpoint. A 16-year-old Palestinian youth arrived, looking frightened. He approached me, carrying a bag which looked like a school bag," he said.
"I opened one of the zippers and saw two improvised pipes. I became suspicious, opened the other zipper and found two improvised handguns. We immediately closed the checkpoint, removed the people and dispatched sappers to the scene," he added.
Zavatsky said that the boy looked frightened and did not say a word.
'No fear'
This is the third time that Private Zavatsky thwarts an attempt to smuggle weapons through the Hawara checkpoint.
"The first time, a Palestinian tried to smuggle five improvised explosive devices, and the second time a Palestinian tried to smuggle an IDF mortar shell," he said.
When asked if he is not afraid to stand at the checkpoint, Zavatsky answered that "there is no fear."
"We are doing our job and feel secure at the checkpoint. I live in Tel Aviv, and when I am here doing my job together with all my friends, I know that my family in Tel Aviv can live in peace," he said.
Only a week ago, another Palestinian youth carrying an explosives belt was captured at the Hawara checkpoint. The teen arrived in the area at about 2:00 p.m. holding a suspicious bag.
An IDF officer spotted the suspect and alerted troops to close the checkpoint and isolate the boy. Border Guard sappers were called to the scene. No explosives were found in the bag.
The suspect was taken in for questioning, while sappers blew up the devices in a controlled manner.
