Abbas was not targeted as initially feared
צילום: AP
Scare in Ramallah: Vehicle charges into presidential motorcade
Car breaches security of Abbas' motorcade; driver shot by guards fearing assassination attempt
Tense moments in Ramallah: A Palestinian vehicle breached the security of President Mahmoud Abbas' motorcade Tuesday afternoon, prompting security guards to open fire at the driver in order to avert a possible assassination bid.
The Palestinians initially feared the incident was an assassination attempt targeting Abbas, who was sitting in one of the vehicles, yet a short while later officials said that the driver involved in the incident was merely a confused motorist who lost his bearings.
The man's background was scrutinized and it turned out he does not belong to any Palestinian faction and had no intention of harming president Abbas in any way.
As the vehicle breached the motorcade's security, presidential guard officers ordered the driver to stop yet he failed to comply. The guards promptly opened fire, wounding the man lightly.
Tensions have been high in the West bank as of late, following mutual mudslinging and violent clashes between Palestinian Authority forces and Hamas gunmen. Earlier, the PA said it uncovered a Hamas cell in Nablus that planned to carry out attacks against PA targets in case efforts to form a national unity government fail.
