Hebron area sees rash of stabbing attempts by Palestinian teens

A Palestinian teenager was shot and wounded while attempting to stab Israeli soldiers near Hebron in the fourth attack in the area in the past seven days — three by teens.

The assailant, who was reported as being 13 or 15, ran toward a bus stop at the Elias Junction, near the entrance to the Kiryat Arba settlement adjacent to Hebron, waving a knife, according to the Israeli army. Soldiers opened fire and injured him. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Three of the attacks over the past week have come at checkpoints near the flashpoint Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. On Tuesday, a 15-year-old male was stopped for questioning and pulled a knife he had been hiding under his shirt on police officers.