IDF investigators have concluded that the tractor incident that occurred on Monday night in Shomron near Gilad Road was an accident, not a terrorist attack as was believed earlier. Two Israelis sustained light injuries in the incident.

The incident occurred at about 8:00pm, when Kedumim resident Shai Kizler, 60, was driving on Route 60 near Gilad Farm. A small tractor was on the road, moving slowly. As Shai tried to pass, he told investigators the tractor struck him intentionally. “The tractor picked up speed and rammed into me”. Shai was injured very lightly and he continued driving to summon assistance. At this same time, the Arab tractor driver abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot. This is the version of the report released by the IDF.

Shai explained that he feared the tractor, which was stopped, was getting ready to head towards him, compelling him to turn around. He sensed this was an attack about to happen. He explained the tractor driver made a U-turn as well, but the IDF insists the incident was an accident, nothing more.

Back to the official version – A short time later, a female driver, a resident of Yitzhar passed the area. She saw a tractor stopped on the road and panicked, swerving to avoid it and landing in a ditch off the side of the road. She too was injured lightly, and she was transported to Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah.

As a result of the incident, an area first-response team was activated, searching the area until police and IDF forces arrived on the scene. They first suspected another tractor terror attack as those that occurred in Yerushalayim.

Officials did track down the Arab driver, who admitted he fled because he panicked, insisting it was an accident, not an intentional effort to strike a vehicle. It appears the tractor driver is still in police custody.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)