Tapuah junction stabbing
Encyclopedia
The Tapuah junction stabbing occurred on February 10, 2010 in the West Bank
when Palestinian Authority police officer Muhammad Hatib stabbed Druze
Israeli soldier
Ihab Khatib to death as the latter was sitting in a jeep at a traffic light.
to a military outpost near the Tapuah junction, and was sitting alone in his jeep with the window open, waiting at a traffic light. Hatib, wearing civilian clothes, approached, pulled out a knife, reached through the window and thrust the knife into Khatib’s chest. Khatib tried to escape by pressing down on the gas pedal, but his jeep flipped over on the side of the road when he lost consciousness. He died en route to the hospital and was buried the following day in his home village. Meanwhile, Hatib tried to flee by car, but Yossi Margalit, a security officer for the Rehalim settlement who was nearby, rammed his own car into him, causing light wounds. Hatib was arrested by Israeli soldiers and given medical attention. He was then transferred to the Shin Bet for questioning.
Arab non-commissioned officer from the mainly Druze village of Maghar in the Galilee
. He served as a logistics officer in the Kfir Brigade. He was survived by his parents and five siblings. His uncle had been killed in action while serving in the Israel Defense Forces during the 2006 Lebanon War, and his aunt had been killed when a Katyusha rocket fired by Lebanese militant group Hizbullah hit her house.
. Israeli Brigadier General Nitzan Alon
, who had contact with the killer shortly after the incident, reported that Hatib had "said he was tired of living" and that the subsequent investigation failed to reveal any signs of "organisational affiliation or of clear ideological reasons," linking the act to militant groups or a larger plot. Media reports suggested "this was an indication Mr. Khatib may have hoped he would be killed as he carried out the alleged attack." Military sources also reported that Hatib appeared to be pursuing a military target, "since he waited on the side of the road when he could have attacked Israelis at a nearby hitchhiking post."
denounced the attack, stating that it "conflicts with our national interests", and pledged to take steps to prevent such incidents in the future. However, an Israeli government source said that while the Palestinian Authority had made marked improvements in its security apparatus, it was more hesitant in dealing with extremists in its own movement.
The attack came amid an increase in Palestinian attempted terror attacks and Israeli settler attacks. According to IDF Samaria Brigade commander Col. Itzhik Bar. "Since the beginning of 2010, IDF troops have prevented 20 stabbing attacks and uncovered 12 bombs," he said. Simultaneously, in the preceding months, radical Israeli settlers launched attacks on their Palestinian neighbors, including setting vehicles, homes, and a mosque on fire.
The shooting is cited in newspaper editorials demanding greater security for Israelis in the West Bank.
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
when Palestinian Authority police officer Muhammad Hatib stabbed Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
Israeli soldier
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
Ihab Khatib to death as the latter was sitting in a jeep at a traffic light.
Incident
Khatib was on his way from JeninJenin
Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
to a military outpost near the Tapuah junction, and was sitting alone in his jeep with the window open, waiting at a traffic light. Hatib, wearing civilian clothes, approached, pulled out a knife, reached through the window and thrust the knife into Khatib’s chest. Khatib tried to escape by pressing down on the gas pedal, but his jeep flipped over on the side of the road when he lost consciousness. He died en route to the hospital and was buried the following day in his home village. Meanwhile, Hatib tried to flee by car, but Yossi Margalit, a security officer for the Rehalim settlement who was nearby, rammed his own car into him, causing light wounds. Hatib was arrested by Israeli soldiers and given medical attention. He was then transferred to the Shin Bet for questioning.
Victim
St.-Sgt. Maj. Ihab Khatib (28) was a DruzeDruze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
Arab non-commissioned officer from the mainly Druze village of Maghar in the Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
. He served as a logistics officer in the Kfir Brigade. He was survived by his parents and five siblings. His uncle had been killed in action while serving in the Israel Defense Forces during the 2006 Lebanon War, and his aunt had been killed when a Katyusha rocket fired by Lebanese militant group Hizbullah hit her house.
Attacker
Muhammad Hatib (34) was a long-serving Palestinian police officer, and at the time of the incident was the head of bureau for the Palestinian Authority's chief of Police in RamallahRamallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
. Israeli Brigadier General Nitzan Alon
Nitzan Alon
Brigadier General Nitzan Alon is a Brigadier General in the Israel Defense Forces, and the commander of Judah and Samaria division. He was born in 1964. Between 1984 and 1998 he was assigned to various positions in an IDF elite unit. In 1998 he was appointed as commander of the elite unit.In 2001...
, who had contact with the killer shortly after the incident, reported that Hatib had "said he was tired of living" and that the subsequent investigation failed to reveal any signs of "organisational affiliation or of clear ideological reasons," linking the act to militant groups or a larger plot. Media reports suggested "this was an indication Mr. Khatib may have hoped he would be killed as he carried out the alleged attack." Military sources also reported that Hatib appeared to be pursuing a military target, "since he waited on the side of the road when he could have attacked Israelis at a nearby hitchhiking post."
Response
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam FayyadSalam Fayyad
Salam Fayyad is a Palestinian politician and Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority of the Palestinian National Authority. His first appointment, on 15 June 2007, which was justified by President Mahmoud Abbas on the basis of "national emergency", has not been confirmed by the...
denounced the attack, stating that it "conflicts with our national interests", and pledged to take steps to prevent such incidents in the future. However, an Israeli government source said that while the Palestinian Authority had made marked improvements in its security apparatus, it was more hesitant in dealing with extremists in its own movement.
The attack came amid an increase in Palestinian attempted terror attacks and Israeli settler attacks. According to IDF Samaria Brigade commander Col. Itzhik Bar. "Since the beginning of 2010, IDF troops have prevented 20 stabbing attacks and uncovered 12 bombs," he said. Simultaneously, in the preceding months, radical Israeli settlers launched attacks on their Palestinian neighbors, including setting vehicles, homes, and a mosque on fire.
The shooting is cited in newspaper editorials demanding greater security for Israelis in the West Bank.
See also
- Killing of Rabbi Meir HaiKilling of Rabbi Meir HaiThe killing of Rabbi Meir Hai was an attack carried out by Palestinian Fatah militants on 24 December 2009 in the West Bank.- Background :Rabbi Meir Avshalom Hai, was a 45-year-old Israeli Rabbi and father of seven who lived in the Israeli settlement Shavei Shomron located in the northern West...
- Bat Ayin ax attackBat Ayin ax attackThe Bat Ayin axe attack was a Palestinian militant attack which occurred on 2 April 2009 in the West Bank, when Moussa Tayet attacked a group of Israeli children with an axe and a knife, killing 13-year-old boy Shlomo Nativ and seriously wounding 7-year-old boy Yair Gamliel, in the Israeli...
- Palestinian political violencePalestinian political violencePalestinian political violence refers to acts of violence undertaken to further the Palestinian cause. These political objectives include self-determination in and sovereignty over Palestine, the liberation of Palestine and establishment of a Palestinian state, either in place of both Israel and...