Palestinian Terrorist Murders Israeli in West Bank

A 31-year-old Israeli man was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist Tuesday morning at a bus stop at the Tapuach Junction in the northern West Bank. The victim was identified as Eviatar Borovsky, a father of five from the settlement of Yitzhar.

Shai Sub-District Police said the terrorist apparently stabbed the Israeli and then snatched his gun. The terrorist proceeded to open fire at Border Guard officers, who returned fire and moderately wounded him, according to police.

Magen David Adom spokesman Meidan Ben Yoash said Borovsky was pronounced dead after efforts to resuscitate him failed.

Chief Superintendent Shlomi Yosef, commander of the Border Guard’s Alon Battalion, said, “At approximately 8 am the terrorist arrived at the Tapauch Junction area from the south. He approached a settler who was standing at the bus stop, pulled out a knife from the bag he was holding and stabbed the civilian, who died of his wounds. The terrorist then took the civilian’s gun and opened fire at a nearby Border Guard post. Fighters who were manning the post returned fire, while the commander of the checkpoint ran toward the terrorist and managed to shoot him some 150 meters (492 feet) from the scene of the attack.”

The terrorist was evacuated to the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva. Police estimate the terrorist arrived at the junction from Tulkarem or Qalqilya. He acted alone, police said.

Ynet learned that the terrorist is a Fatah operative from a village near Tulkarem. He was imprisoned in Israel for three years after being convicted of stone throwing and was released less than six months ago.

The terrorist’s brother is currently jailed in the Palestinian Authority for allegedly collaborating with Israel.

“A terrorist armed with a knife attacked a settler at the bus stop and critically injured him. He apparently snatched the victim’s weapon and fired at a Border Guard force positioned nearby. The Border Guard officers returned fire and neutralized the terrorist,” a Border Guard spokesman said.

Shomron Council Head Gershon Mesika arrived at the scene of the terror attack at the Tapuach Junction and said: “This heinous murder is a direct result of helplessness in the face of stones, open checkpoints and the lawless attitude towards terror in the area.

“The IDF and security establishment must internalize that this terror kills. The government must make a change and refer to terror as terror,” he said.

In January a 17-year-old Israeli was stabbed at a hitchhiking post at the Tapauch Junction. He sustained light to moderate wounds. The terrorist, a man in his 20s from Ramallah, was apprehended.