Police shot and arrested a Palestinian suspect from Bethlehem who stole a car, breached the Hashmonaim crossing on Route 446, rammed police vehicles, and attempted to run over officers, police say. Medics are treating the suspect, who was hit by police fire; the crossing is closed to traffic in both directions as the investigation continues.
A Palestinian suspect from Bethlehem who stole a car, breached the Hashmonaim crossing on Route 446, rammed police vehicles, and attempted to run over officers was shot and arrested by police shortly after 08:00 Tuesday morning. Medics are treating the suspect, who was hit by police fire; his condition has been reported by police as serious-to-critical. The crossing remains closed to traffic in both directions as the investigation continues.
As The Zioneer first reported at 08:34, the checkpoint was initially closed to traffic after a car theft suspect allegedly tried to run over police. By 08:33, police confirmed they had opened fire, wounding and arresting the suspect, and clarified the incident was criminal, not a terror attack. The initial unverified media reports (one channel) evolved into official police confirmation by 08:33, with the suspect's identity as a Bethlehem resident and his serious-to-critical condition added in the next update at 08:58.
The Hashmonaim crossing, a key Route 446 artery near Modi'in, has been the site of previous security incidents, including the arrest of Palestinians disguised as Jews at the nearby Maccabim crossing last week, as The Zioneer reported. The crossing's closure has disrupted traffic flows in the area. Police have not yet specified the motive for the car theft or the suspect's actions.
What remains open: the suspect's full medical status has not been updated since the initial serious-to-critical assessment, and no motive for the theft or the ramming has been disclosed by police. The investigation is ongoing.
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