'I came to die,' says Palestinian teen in attempted suicide at West Bank checkpoint

Security forces shoot Palestinian girl, 13, in leg after she failed to heed to calls to stop approaching checkpoint.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 09:54
Scene of suspected attack at Eliyahu checkpoint in the West Bank, September 21 2016 (photo credit: ARAB MEDIA)
Scene of suspected attack at Eliyahu checkpoint in the West Bank, September 21 2016
(photo credit: ARAB MEDIA)
Security forces shot and lightly wounded a Palestinian teen girl feared to attempt a stabbing attack at the Eliyahu checkpoint near the West Bank settlement of Alfei Menashe on Wednesday morning.
An initial investigation shows a 13-year-old Palestinian girl arrived in an apparent suicide mission to the checkpoint.
She roused the suspicion of security forces as she was carrying what was said to be a suspicious bag while approaching the checkpoint on foot from the vehicular entrance.
Checkpoint security ordered her to stop and fired warning shots in the air. The girl continued and was shot in the leg by security guards in order to stop her when she put her hand into her shirt.
Checks for explosives in her bag rendered no suspicious items. During initial questioning, the suspect told security force that she "came to die."
The girl was lightly wounded and treated at the scene and no Israeli injuries were initially reported. The checkpoint has been reopened to traffic.
The alleged attack comes after a spate of attacks in the last week in Hebron and in Jerusalem.
On Tuesday morning a Palestinian teenager was shot and killed after he tried to stab a soldier at the Bani Naim checkpoint, near Kiryat Arba.
Since Friday eleven attacks have occurred, seven being in the Hebron area or near the settlement of Kiryat Arba.
Noam Amir, Tova Lazaroff, Adam Rasgon and Yaakov Lappin contributed to this article.