(September 22, 2022 / JNS) A Palestinian from Ramallah stole a vehicle in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, and subsequently rammed a barricade at Ben-Gurion Airport early Thursday in his attempt to escape pursuit, the Israel Police said. He then fled on foot.

Following a search and the setting up of roadblocks, the suspect was arrested. Police said he endangered the safety of police and airport security staff.

The incident began around 1:15 a.m. when a vehicle driving in a suspicious manner at one of the airport’s entrance gates bypassed other cars at high speed and rammed the barricade. Security staff fired at the vehicle and deployed obstacles, and were able to force the driver to stop. He fled the vehicle on foot and hid in bushes, where he was caught and arrested.

“This is another severe example of an attempt to harm and endanger security forces by a resident of Judea and Samaria, who illegally entered Israel through a gap in the [security] fence to harm property of state residents while tangibly endangering public safety in his efforts to escape the law,” said police.

On June 11, an Israel Police volunteer officer, Amichai Carmely, was killed in Rishon Lezion when a car ran him down at a checkpoint designed to test drivers for drunk driving. Four residents of the Bedouin city of Rahat were later arrested in connection with the incident.

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