Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Vehicle-ramming incident in West Bank March 16

Event

A Palestinian driver hit five Israelis with his vehicle outside the Mevo Dotan settlement in the West Bank on Friday, March 16, killing two and wounding the three others. It is currently unclear if the incident was an intentional vehicle-ramming attack or an accident; the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have reportedly opened an associated investigation. According to the IDF, the driver was arrested at the scene. Increased security and localized traffic disruptions are to be expected in the area surrounding the incident.

Context

If confirmed as an intentional vehicle-ramming, the incident would be the second such attack to take place in Israel and the Palestinian Territories in the past two weeks. On March 4, an Arab-Israeli citizen carried out a vehicle-ramming attack in Acre, wounding four people.

Advice

Individuals in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are advised to monitor developments to the situation and to adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.

Due to the underlying terrorist threat, travelers in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and to remain vigilant when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted in an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, prominent hotels and restaurants, etc.). As a reminder, some Western governments advise their citizens against travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and areas near the Israeli-Lebanese, Israeli-Syrian, and Israeli-Egyptian borders.