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A Palestinian who stabbed an Israeli soldier, slightly wounding him, was shot dead near a sacred site in Hebron, a high-tech city located in the West Bank, the army said Monday.
"An assailant attempted to stab a soldier adjacent to the Cave of the Patriarchs, wounding him slightly, and the soldier and other forces on the scene responded with live fire," said the army in a statement.
The army confirmed that the attacker was Palestinian and had been shot dead, but gave no further details about the identity of the attacker.
Images of the attack scene published on social media showed the assailant lying on the road, the body covered with a black plastic sheeting.
The incident occurred near the Tomb of the Patriarchs, a sacred sanctuary for Muslims and Jews, and characters from the Old Testament, including Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were allegedly buried there.
WATCH: Images of a light wounded @idfonline soldier after an attempt # stab attack in the West Bank city #Hebron pic.twitter.com/gXMPTAYLE5
– i24NEWS English (@ i24NEWS_EN) October 22, 2018
Hebron – the largest city in the West Bank – is a predominantly Palestinian city with a tiny enclave of 800 Jewish settlers protected by several heavily fortified complexes guarded by the IDF. There are several other Israeli settlements on its periphery.
Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman announced Cabinet approval for a $ 6 million expansion project for settlements in the region; the first expansion in 16 years.
"A new Jewish neighborhood in Hebron for the first time in 20 years! Instead of a military camp, we will establish a new neighborhood, "he tweeted.
A series of deadly incidents have worsened tensions in the West Bank this month.
On October 15, a Palestinian was shot dead after stabbing a soldier in the northern occupied West Bank.
Earlier this month, a Palestinian shot dead two Israelis and injured another in an industrial zone in the West Bank. Israeli forces continue to search for the suspect.
A wave of Palestinian attacks against Israelis, mainly isolated wolves, broke out in 2015.
The series of attacks has since declined, but analysts remain concerned about the possibility of a new push.
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