Gunman from Ramallah fires on West Bank settlement of Psagot, no injuries

A home in the settlement was struck; security forces searching the area for the perpetrator.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Caravans in Psagot neighborhood 390 (photo credit: Melanie Lidman)
Caravans in Psagot neighborhood 390
(photo credit: Melanie Lidman)
A gunman from Ramallah opened fire on the nearby West Bank settlement of  Psagot, striking an Israeli home, the IDF said,. There were no injuries in the attack, the military added. "IDF soldiers are scanning the area," an army spokesman said.
In January, a Palestinian resident of the Al-Bira district of Ramallah was arrested by security forces on suspicion of stabbing a nine-year-old Israeli girl in Psagot last October.
The Shin Bet [Israel Security Agency] stated at the time of the arrest that the motive was criminal, and that it was not viewing this as a nationalistic-terrorist attack.
The main suspect has been named as Abdullah Abu Kabita, 21, of Al-Bira. He said during questioning that he planned to break into a home in Psagotin order to steal arms, which he required for a personal dispute, the Shin Bet added.
A few days before the stabbing, Abu Kabita arrived at the community with a friend, cut a hole in the fence, and approached a home. He retreated after noticing a car driving nearby.
On October 5, he arrived alone, and entered Psagot through the hole in the fence that he had made. He walked towards the nearest home, and was surprised by the girl, stabbed her in the shoulder, and fled back to Ramallah.
The IDF said at the time that the motive was irrelevant, adding that it viewed the suspect as a terrorist.