Hebron brigade commander among 12 killed in Jihad attack

By Amos Harel, Ha'aretz Correspondent and Agencies





The bullet-ridden windshield of a jeep after Friday's attack by Islamic Jihad militants in Hebron.
(Photo: AP)

Twelve Israelis were killed and 15 wounded Friday evening when Palestinian gunmen opened fire and tossed grenades at security forces escorting a group of Jewish settlers as they made their way on foot back to the nearby settlement of Kiryat Arba from Sabbath prayers at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank city of Hebron.

The militant Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack.

Among the Israelis killed were two IDF officers, including Hebron Brigade Commander Colonel Dror Weinberg, 38, a Border police officer, two soldiers, four Border Police troops and three civilian members of the Jewish settlement in Hebron who were part of an emergency security team.

Weinberg is the most senior member of the IDF to be killed in the intifada.

The names were released of five members of the Border Police killed in the attack: Operations officer, Superintendent Samih Suidan, 31, from the Western Galilee; Sergeant Tomer Nov, 19, from Ashdod; Staff Sergeant Gad Rahamim, 19, from Kiryat Malachi; Staff Sergeant Natanel Mahlouf, 19, from Hadera; and Staff Sergant Yeshayahu Davidov, 20, from Netanya. Also killed was IDF Sergeant Igor Drovitsky, 20, from Nahariya.

IDF: Gumen fired at security forces, not worshippers
According to an initial investigation by the army, in contrast to a version of events given by the foreign ministry, the Islamic Jihad fire was not directed at worshippers but at the security forces escorting them. All of the dead were from the IDF, Border Police or emergency security team...

Haaretz