Israel/Palestinian Territories: Car-ramming attack in West Bank Nov. 17

Event

On Friday morning, November 17, a car-ramming attack on pedestrians in the West Bank resulted in two people wounded, one seriously, at two intersections south of Jerusalem near the Gush Etzion Jewish settlement. The assailant - a Palestinian teenager - then reportedly proceeded to charge security forces with a knife, who in turn opened fire.

This particular cluster of Israeli settlements in the West Bank is a frequent site of violent attacks against Israelis.

Context

Longstanding political and social tensions between Israelis and Palestinians contribute to frequent security incidents of varying severity. Over 300 Palestinians have been killed since a wave of violent street attacks began in 2015. Israel claims at least 180 of those killed were carrying out attacks, while the rest died in clashes and protests. In addition to these deaths, at least 51 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Palestinian stabbings, shootings, and car-rammings.

Advice

Due to the ongoing terrorist threat, travelers in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and to remain vigilant when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted in an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, etc.). As a reminder, several Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and areas near the Israeli-Lebanese, Israeli-Syrian, and Israeli-Egyptian borders.