Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Shots fired at Israeli vehicle in West Bank May 22

Event

Suspected Palestinian gunmen fired on an Israeli vehicle in an apparent drive-by shooting incident near the village of Kafr Ni'ma (West Bank), west of Ramallah, on Tuesday, May 22. No associated casualties were reported. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel have launched a search operatons for the perpetrators.

The incident comes after IDF troops arrested 11 Palestinians suspected of having links to terror organizations in raids across the West Bank on the night of Monday, May 21 (local time), into the early hours of Tuesday. Clashes notably broke out between Palestinians and IDF soldiers during a raid in Abu Dis. Additional Palestinian shootings, IDF raids, and clashes between Palestinians and IDF personnel are possible in the West Bank in the coming weeks.

Context

A spike in tensions and cross-border incidents 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, and would move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The new embassy was officially opened on May 14.

Advice

Individuals present in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are advised to avoid all protests or other public gatherings due to the high risk of violence and to monitor developments to the situation. Due to the underlying terrorist threat, travelers in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities. Some 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.