Security official to Tazpit: ‘we will turn every stone in search of the terrorists’
By Ehud Amiton
Israeli Security official told Tazpit News Agency on Sunday morning that the IDF and IS look upon Saturday’s ambulance shooting near Bet El with great concern.
The official added that Israeli security forces will turn every stone in search of the terrorists responsible for the night’s shooting and the murder of Dani Gonen a week ago.
Referring to Gonen’s murder by Arab terrorists, the official stated that the investigation is focusing right now on intelligence work, trying to get a lead on the terrorists.
During the night, searches were conducted in the Arab villages around Beit El, namely in Beitin, where the terrorists fled after the shooting. However, no arrests or findings were reported.
On Saturday night, at approximately 23:00, a paramedic driving an MDA ambulance, reported shots fired at him from an ambush while passing the Beit El junction. The shots were fired from a new road opened recently for Palestinians, leading to Beitin. The ambulance was hit from the fire, however luckily no one was injured.
From the preliminary investigation, security forces concluded that the attackers approached Beit El road from the Palestinian route to Beitin, ambushed the ambulance then fled the scene.
The investigators collected nineteen 9mm shell casings from the scene, five of which hit the ambulance.
Shai Alon, Head of the Beit El municipality, told Tazpit News Agency after the attack “The road to Beitin was closed for 12 years due to security problems. When it was recently decided to reopen the road, I warned the Commander general of the region, the ministers of defense and transportation as well as COGAT, of the security and transportation risks it poses. However they still decided to open the road.”
“The writing was on the wall, and we demand that security authorities close both sides of this road. So that terrorists can’t approach so close to Beit El or escape with such ease.” Alon added. “This attack on an ambulance, which serves all populations including Palestinians, emphasizes the evil and bestial nature of the terrorists.”
MDA CEO, Eli Bean, stated after the attack that shooting deliberately at a medical emergency vehicle constitutes as crossing a red line.
Translated by Michael Zeff for Tazpit News Agency
