Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Asharq Al-Awsat

Misguided Getaway Sets off Another Security Alert at Israeli Airport

Departing passengers roll their suitcases at the nearly deserted Ben Gurion airport in Lod, near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv, May 13, 2021. (AFP)

A Palestinian car thief rammed through a checkpoint on the way to Israel's main airport on Sunday, authorities said, setting off a security alert in what they described as the result of poor navigation on his part rather than an attempted attack. 

Video circulated on social media showed passengers in Ben Gurion Airport's departure terminal crouching alongside their luggage as instructions sounded over loudhailers. 

Police said the suspect, a Palestinian in Israel illegally from the occupied West Bank, arrived at the airport checkpoint in a stolen car and raced through toward the main terminal. During a brief pursuit, he was shot and arrested. 

It was at least the fifth such incident in recent months, an Israel Airports Authority spokesperson said. 

As in previous cases, the suspect was believed to have taken a wrong turn off the main Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway, Israeli officials said. That meant his attempted getaway accidentally brought him to one of the country's most protected facilities. 

"It happens almost every week," a police spokesperson said. 

Tensions are high amid a surge in street attacks in Israel and military raids in the West Bank. The violence has contributed to the rise of far-rightists likely to play significant roles in the incoming Israeli government. 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.