IDF and Border Police forces rescued several Israeli civilians who deliberately entered the West Bank city of Qalqilya in the Ephraim Brigade area after one of them tried to locate a motorcycle that had been stolen from him, the military said.
According to the IDF, a report was received a short time earlier about several Israelis who had entered the Palestinian city. After the report came in, IDF and Border Police forces arrived in the area, made contact with the civilians, located them and extracted them safely.
The motorcycle
The Civil Administration also received a report that one Israeli had entered Qalqilya after his motorcycle was stolen and taken into the city. After he entered, several Palestinian residents gathered around him.
In a phone call with officers, the Israeli refused to leave and said he was “not prepared to leave the city without the motorcycle that was stolen.” The information was passed to IDF forces and the regional brigade operating in the area, and troops moved toward the scene and rescued him.
The Israeli is known to security forces, and only last Saturday was also rescued by Civil Administration forces after entering Qalqilya.
The IDF stressed that entry by Israelis into Area A is prohibited, dangerous and constitutes a violation of the law.