In Raid, Israel Security Forces Kill Murderer of West Bank Rabbi

Ahmed Nasser Jarrer, head operative responsible for the January murder of Rabbi Raziel Shevach, was killed by Israeli security forces early in a raid Tuesday morning in the West Bank village of Yamun near Jenin, Israeli security forces say.

Clashes erupted in the village between dozens of Palestinians and Israeli forces following the raid. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, two Palestinians were wounded by rubber bullets while seven Palestinians were hurt from tear gas inhalation.

According to the IDF, Jarrar was surrounded by security forces surrounded the building in the village when Jarrer emerged with an M-16 rifle and was shot to death. Shin Bet security services say Jarrer was the head operative in the January attack that killed killed in the drive-by shooting near attack near the West Bank city of Nablus.

Meanwhile, the IDF says a manhunt for the 19-year-old who stabbed an Israeli man to death Monday outside the Israeli West Bank city of Ariel is still ongoing. 

Eight days after the January attack, security forces raided a house and killed Ahmed Ismail Muhammed Jarrer, another man involved in the attack. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked the security forces in a Facebook post for their “determined and complex operation” in capturing the terrorist. Israel’s security forces will “reach anyone who tries  to attack Israeli citizens and we will bring them to justice. The same applies to the murderers of Rabbi Itamar Ben-Gal.”

Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman took to Twitter Tuesday morning in response, saying "The account is closed. I congratulate the IDF, the Shin Bet security services and the Special Police Unit for a successful operation. It was clear that it was only a matter of time, until we hit the head of the cell that murdered Rabbi Raziel Shevach. I hope and believe that in the near future we will also extend our hand to the murderer of Rabbi Itamar Ben Gal."

President of Israel Reuven Rivlin said Tuesday morning "We appreciate and solute all the security forces...who, in a complex security operation and with proper daring, fought for our security. I have no doubt that the murderer of Itamar Ben Gal and his collaboraters will be persecuted until we reach them. The State of Israel will never surrender to  terrorism and will reach the last of its supporters, for the safety of our citizens."