IDF raid hometown of Ofra ramming attack terrorist, confiscate NIS 85,000

Security forces arrested several Palestinians suspected of participating in local terror activities in the overnight raid.

By ANNA AHRONHEIM
Updated: APRIL 14, 2017 03:56
Israeli forces raid village of terrorist that killed IDF soldier Sgt. Elhai Teharlev on April 6, 2017 (IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Soldiers carried out a nighttime raid Wednesday in the West Bank town of Silwad, seizing large amounts of cash and stolen cars, the army said in a statement on Thursday.
According to the IDF, an estimated NIS 85,000 ($23,000) and three stolen cars were confiscated in the overnight operation in the hometown of 21-year-old Palestinian Malek Ahmad Mousa Hamed, who rammed his car into two Israeli soldiers at a West Bank bus stop at the Ofra junction last week, killing 20-year-old Sgt. Elchai Teharlev and lightly wounding another.
The raid was “part of the ‘concept of expanded prevention’ for taking action against all the circles of support for the terrorist and his family,” the statement added.
In addition, a homemade Karl Gustav submachine gun was confiscated by troops in Sanur, southwest of Jenin. Security forces believe that most of the shooting attacks which have occurred in the West Bank and inside Israel were carried out with weapons locally produced in the West Bank, most commonly the Karl Gustav.
According to the IDF, 43 weapons workshops have been shut down and more than 450 illegal weapons were seized in 2016. Another 12 weapons workshops and more than 115 illegal weapons were discovered and confiscated by security forces since January 2017 alone.
Elsewhere in the West Bank, six Palestinian men suspected of throwing rocks or partaking in violent protests were arrested by the army. One was arrested in Ramallah, one in Hizme, two in Bethlehem, another in the al-Ayda refugee camp, and a sixth in Khirbat al-Tabka, outside Hebron.