On the morning of Monday, Rosh Chodesh Av, a Jewish shepherd was assaulted by terrorists near Kochav HaShachar in the Binyamin region as he was tending his flock. He was evacuated to the Hadassah Mt. Scopus Hospital for treatment of head, chest and arm injuries.

IDF forces who arrived at the scene detained two of the assailants, handcuffed them and transferred them to policemen from the Binyamin Police Station who also arrived at the scene.

Initial details indicate that the assault began when the 19-year old shepherd was taking his flock out to pasture near Kochav HaShachar as he does every day. He encountered an ambush set by terrorists who waited for him at the site. The terrorists threw rocks at him and his flock from an overlooking ridge. At some point one of the terrorists drew a knife and approached the shepherd and his flock. The shepherd called out for help. A resident who arrived at the site by car to offer assistance was also assaulted with rocks, which shattered the car windows. The assailants stopped throwing rocks and fled only after additional residents arrived.

Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher, who is representing the shepherd as a victim of terror, arrived at the Binyamin Police Station and stated that, “This was a serious incident in which my client, a 19-year old shepherd, was severely assaulted in an ambush set by a large number of assailants and only by a miracle was saved. I came to the police station in order to confirm that the Israeli Police make the utmost effort to prosecute the assailants to the full extent of the law and also to locate everyone involved with the incident.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)