IDF soldiers shot at security officials from the West Bank settlement of Ofra earlier this week after mistaking them for Palestinian rock throwers, the Israeli military confirmed following a KAN News report on Friday night.
The soldiers reportedly received a report of Palestinians hurling stones at oncoming Israeli vehicles on Highway 60. After arriving at the scene, one soldier located two individuals standing on the side of the road.
The soldier, who assumed the two were Palestinian rioters, asked permission to open fire but received no response, according to the report, and opened fire after a number of minutes. The soldier's commander also approached the two and fired a number of shots into the air.
After clarification, it was revealed that the two people were in fact security officials from the West Bank settlement.
IDF SOLDIERS operate in Hebron, this week: Israel must ensure that the West Bank is not militarized over the long term with its own forces, says the writer (credit: WISAM HASHLAMOUN/FLASH90)Ofra incident investigated by IDF's Central Command
The incident, which was in violation of the IDF's open-fire rules of engagement, is being investigated by the Israeli military's Central Command, it said in response to KAN's report. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Ofra has been the target of a number of planned attacks by Palestinian gunmen in the past two weeks. Earlier in December, shots were fired at an IDF post near the settlement and, in a separate incident, at a bus carrying Israelis near the settlement.
A Palestinian terrorist also fired at an IDF outpost in the area last week and was killed by Israeli forces who returned fire.
