IDF mechanic captures terrorist
First Sergeant Major Barak Moshe caught Palestinian terrorist who stabbed teen at Tapuach Junction
The vigilance and determination of a career officer prevented a major terror attack on Tuesday. First Sergeant Major Barak Moshe chased after and caught a Palestinian terrorist who stabbed an Israeli teen.
The victim, waiting at a hitchhikers station at the Tapuach Junction was taken to the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva suffering from light injuries.
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An initial investigation suggests that the terrorist, a Ramallah resident in his 20s, was caught by Moshe and arrested by a Border Guard force. A mechanic at the Samaria Territorial Brigade, Moshe recounted, "I was standing at the station with two Israeli teens next to me.
"Suddenly I saw a Palestinian who looked about 23-years-old coming, pulling out a knife, stabbing one of the teens and then starting to run."
"I immediately started to chase after him and caught him. He didn't try to struggle and said nothing. "
Moshe said the incident was over in a matter of minutes but noted that in retrospect the Palestinian behaved suspiciously noting that he was walking in a nervous manner with his hands in his pockets.
"I have no idea why he chose to stab a young teen with a uniformed soldier standing next to him," he remarked.
The terrorist admitted he had committed the act for nationalistic motives. IDF and police forces are still investigating whether he acted alone or not.
Settlers want checkpoints back
Meanwhile, security forces are still on high alert in the wake of recent terrorist attacks in the West Bank.
Settlers called on the government to take tougher measures against Palestinians and redeploy the checkpoints that had been removed from West Bank roads in the past two years.
Shomron Council Head Gershon Mesika praised the officers who caught the terrorist but noted that "the weakness exhibited by the political echelon enhances the terrorists' motivation to carry out attacks on both sides of the Green Line.
"Had the checkpoints not been removed the terrorist could not have reached the Tapuch Junction armed. The government must reestablish deterrence and redeploy the checkpoints in Tapuacha and Hawara."
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