2022 Ariel attack

{{Short description|2022 terror attack in the occupied West Bank}}

{{Infobox civilian attack

| title = November 2022 Ariel attack

| location = West Bank

| date = {{start date|2022|11|15}}

| partof = the Israeli–Palestinian conflict

| time-begin = 9:28

| time-end = 9:48 AM

| timezone = UTC+02:00

| type = mass stabbing, vehicle-ramming attack

| fatalities = 3 victims, 1 perpetrator

| injuries = 3 victims

| perpetrator = Mohammed Souf

}}

On 15 November 2022, a Palestinian killed three Israelis near the Ariel settlement in the West Bank.

Attack

On 15 November 2022, a vehicle-ramming and stabbing attack killed three Israelis and wounded three others in the West Bank settlement of Ariel. The attacker started by stabbing a security guard at the entrance to the Ariel Industrial Park and then fatally stabbed two men and wounded another during a knife attack at the Ten gas station which was 60–70 meters away. He left the scene with his vehicle which he rammed into a group of cars, fatally injuring a 50-year-old man from Kiryat Netafim. A civilian exited his car to help the wounded man which the perpetrator used as an opportunity to steal the man's BMW and drive off.{{Cite web |title=Father of six killed in Ariel terror attack named as Tamir Avihay |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-722439 |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=The Jerusalem Post |date=15 November 2022 |language=en-US}} He drove the vehicle to an area on the road with traffic where he tried to attack more cars. The killer was shot dead by civilians and security forces,{{Cite web |last=Fabian |first=Emanuel |date=15 November 2022 |title=3 killed, 3 wounded in West Bank attack; terrorist shot dead |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/3-seriously-wounded-in-stabbing-at-west-bank-industrial-zone-attacker-shot/ |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=Times of Israel |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last1=Ahronheim |first1=Anna |last2=Toameh |first2=Khaled Abu |author-link2=Khaled Abu Toameh |date=15 November 2022 |title=Three Israelis killed, three injured in Ariel terrorist stabbing rampage |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-722422 |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Rose |first=Emily |date=2022-11-15 |title=Palestinian kills three Israelis during knife rampage in West Bank |language=en |work=Reuters |agency= |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-kills-two-israelis-during-knife-rampage-west-bank-2022-11-15/ |url-status=live |url-access=registration |access-date=2022-11-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215003715/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-kills-two-israelis-during-knife-rampage-west-bank-2022-11-15/ |archive-date=15 December 2022}} at around 9:48 AM local time, twenty minutes after the attack had started.

Perpetrator

An 18-year-old Palestinian man named Mohammed Souf from the village of Haris was identified as the perpetrator. He worked as a cleaner at the Ariel Industrial Park. He was associated with the West Bank's ruling Fatah party and his father was a member of the party. Souf did not have a criminal record, but his father had spent time in Israeli prison.{{Cite news |last=Rubin |first=Shira |date=November 15, 2022 |title=Palestinian kills three Israelis outside settlement in escalating violence |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/15/israel-palestinian-stabbing-attack-ariel/ |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=2022-11-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116010859/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/15/israel-palestinian-stabbing-attack-ariel/ |archive-date=16 November 2022 |issn=0190-8286}} His home was demolished by the Israeli military in May 2023.{{Cite news |last=Fabian |first=Emanuel |date=May 3, 2023 |title=IDF razes West Bank homes of terrorists who carried out deadly attacks last year |work=Times of Israel |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-razes-west-bank-homes-of-terrorists-who-carried-out-deadly-attacks-last-year/}}

Reactions

US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides tweeted "Horrified by the rampage of one terrorist today in Ariel that left three Israelis dead, and as many wounded" while EU envoy Dimiter Tzantchev denounced the "despicable ramming and stabbing attack".{{Cite web |title=US, EU envoys condemn deadly West Bank terror attack |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/us-eu-envoys-condemn-deadly-west-bank-terror-attack/ |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=Times of Israel |language=en-US}} Hamas lauded the attack as "heroic ... [and] a natural response to the escalating crimes of the occupation against the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque and its shedding of our people's blood."{{Cite web |last=Muk |first=Jack |date=15 November 2022 |title=Hamas hails 'heroic' Ariel terror attack, urges Palestinians to 'follow path' of perpetrator |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/hamas-hails-heroic-ariel-terror-attack-urges-palestinians-to-follow-path-of-perpetrator/ |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=Times of Israel |language=en-US}}