Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Thwarted stabbing attack in West Bank April 8

Event

On Sunday, April 8, a Palestinian man reportedly attempted to carry out a stabbing attack on an Israeli individual with a screwdriver in Mishor Adumim (West Bank), near the Ma'ale Adumim settlement. The would-be assailant was shot and wounded by a witness before he could carry out the attack.

Context

The thwarted stabbing attack comes amid large-scale Palestinian demonstrations in the Gaza Strip, in which dozens of Palestinians have been killed and thousands of others wounded in clashes with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel since the six-week tent city protests began on March 30. Smaller related protests have taken place in the West Bank.

Palestinian stabbing attacks against Israelis infrequently take place in the West Bank. Notably, another stabbing attack took place near the Ariel settlement (West Bank) on February 5, in which an Arab-Israeli man stabbed a Jewish-Israeli man, killing him.

A spike in tensions has been observed in Israel and the Palestinian Territories in the wake of US President Donald Trump's December 2017 announcement that the US would officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a departure from the previous US and international position of neutrality on the status of the city claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians.

Advice

Individuals in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are advised to monitor developments to the situation, remain vigilant, and avoid all public demonstrations due to the risk of violence. A surge in anti-American and anti-Western sentiment is to be anticipated in some areas; all travelers, and Westerners in particular, are advised to maintain a low profile (do not discuss sensitive topics, do not stop to take photographs of demonstrations, etc.) and avoid unnecessary movements in the event of unrest.