Israeli forces detained a Palestinian in the southern occupied West Bank district of Bethlehem on Saturday after he allegedly attempted a stabbing attack and lightly wounded an Israeli settler near the illegal Israeli settlement of Alon Shvut in Israel’s Gush Etzion bloc.

According to an Israeli army statement, the Palestinian had been armed with a knife and attempted to stab an Israeli settler near Alon Shvut. The Israeli was lightly wounded and evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment, while the alleged assailant was “questioned at the scene” before being transferred to interrogations.

Israeli news site Ynet reported that the settler had “scuffled” with a young Palestinian man after the Palestinian had attempted to stab him. However, according to Ynet, the settler was hurt during the so-called scuffle following the stabbing attempt, and was not wounded with the knife that the Palestinian was allegedly carrying.

The Palestinian has not yet been identified.

On Friday evening, three Palestinians, armed with knives and at least one gun, were shot dead by Israeli forces after carrying out an attack near Damascus Gate of the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem, killing one female Israeli police officer.

Israeli forces have put the village of Deir Abu Mashal, the home of the three attackers, under a complete lockdown and raided the homes of the attackers, warning the families that their homes would soon be demolished -- an Israeli policy used against family members of Palestinian attacks, which rights groups have deemed a form of “collective punishment.”

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rescinded all permits issued to Palestinians for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to enter Jerusalem and Israel, while Israeli authorities have revoked the Israeli permits of the attackers’ extended family.

While Israeli leaders often point to Palestinian “incitement” for the cause of such attacks, and often attempt to connect the attacks to the so-called “war on terror,” Palestinians have instead cited the daily frustrations and routine Israeli military violence imposed by Israel's nearly half century occupation of the Palestinian territory as main drivers for attacks.

Source: Ma'an News