Attempted car-ramming lightly wounds soldier in Jordan Valley
Palestinian accelerates vehicle toward two IDF soldiers following a dispute after being refused access to the Qasr el Yahud baptism site; attacker questioned on the spot.
An IDF soldier was lightly wounded Friday morning after a a driver in a Palestinian vehicle attempted a car-ramming attack at Qasr el Yahud in the Jordan Valley near a baptism site.
The driver, who was arrested and taken in for questioning, attempted to ram his way into the site after being refused entry by IDF forces.
The soldier was treated by medics at the scene.
Footage of the incident shows the attacker driving on the road before suddenly veering to the right in an attempt to run over two soldiers.
The stormy winds and heavy rains didn’t stop 1,500 worshipers from making their way to the site southeast of Jericho to participate in the Christian Epiphany ceremony for celebrate the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ.
During the month of January, thousands of Christians flock to the baptism site which is protected by IDF units who frisk everyone who enters.
The Palestinian approached in his vehicle the search point set up by the IDF where he was delayed by the soldiers while he demanded to be granted entry.
Following a charged dispute that erupted with the soldiers, he proceeded in his vehicle without paying heed to the instructions.
Ahiya Raved, Elisha Ben Kimon and Elior Levy contributed to this report.
