An undocumented Palestinian from Jenin stole a car Tuesday morning from the Tel Aviv area, broke through a military base checkpoint in Tzrifin, injured a soldier moderately, and was arrested in Ramla after a chase. Authorities said the incident was not terror-related.
The Israel Defense Forces said the soldier “was injured by a vehicle at the entrance gate checkpoint of Tzrifin Base, and the incident is under investigation.” The soldier was taken to a hospital for medical treatment, and his family was notified.
After stealing the car, the suspect drove onto Route 44 and turned right toward Tzrifin. He rammed through the checkpoint, drove inside the base for several minutes, then returned to the checkpoint, where he struck a man in his 20s. Despite attempts to stop him, the suspect fled back to Route 44 and continued east toward Ramla, where he was finally apprehended by local police at the Ice Junction in the city. He was taken in for questioning and is expected to appear in court later Tuesday for a remand hearing.
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Just last month, on Feb. 17, another undocumented Palestinian from the West Bank attempted to steal a vehicle from a parking lot in Tzrifin and tried to snatch a police officer’s gun while attempting to escape. Officers from the Central District managed to capture him after a foot chase.
In that case, Ramla police were conducting an operation in the Tzrifin area aimed at preventing car thefts. During the operation, officers spotted the suspect attempting to steal a car from a dealership lot near Tzrifin. The undocumented Palestinian, who had entered Israel without a permit, showed no fear of the officers and, during his arrest, attempted to grab an officer’s weapon. However, the officers subdued and handcuffed him.