JERUSALEM, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- A Palestinian stabbed two Israeli adults Thursday at a gas station at the entrance to Kiryat Arba near the West Bank city of Hebron, the army said.
An off duty soldier standing at a nearby hitch hiking station shot and critically wounded the attacker. The two Israelis, a 49-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman were treated by medics at the site before being transferred to Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem.
The Palestinian underwent surgery at the same hospital.
The attack occurred just hours after Israel eased up on restrictions and removed 50 West Bank checkpoints for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.
Malachi Levinger, a member of the Kiryat Arba-Hebron regional council said the Palestinian got out of a cab at the gas station armed with a knife and an axe, and ran towards a group of people yelling "Allah Akbar "(God is great), Ynetnews.com said.
Levinger declared the attack was the result of Israel's concessions to the Palestinians, the Web site said.
A statement issued by the council said the incident proved that gestures to the Palestinian people encouraged terror.
Noam Arnon, spokesman for the Jewish community in Hebron said the attack was the direct result of Israel's decision to impose a 10-month settlement freeze in the West Bank, "and the government's weak and cowardice policy towards the enemy," the Web site quoted him saying.
The Israeli army is investigating the attack. No Palestinian group claimed responsibility.
