The site of Friday morning’s terror attack in Gush Etzion. Photo: MDA.

A soldier was lightly wounded in a stabbing attack Friday morning, near the security fence in Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem, according to Israeli news reports.

The soldier, an IDF Etzion Brigade tracker in his 20s, was wounded in the shoulder. Another soldier on the scene shot the 16-year-old Palestinian terrorist in the knee and neutralized him. Magen David Adom paramedics administered first aid to the attacker and the soldier, before evacuating them to hospitals in Jerusalem – the soldier to Shaare Zedek Medical Center, and the terrorist to the Hadassah Medical Center in Ein Karem.

An initial investigation revealed that the attack took place during a security check, as Israeli forces opened the gate of the security barrier near the settlement of Gevaot, in order to enable Palestinian olive farmers to tend to their groves to the west of the fence.

According to Israeli news website nrg, the area of the attack is considered particularly problematic for its porousness, which allows for frequent infiltration of hostile elements.

In fact, Wednesday’s stabbing of a Ramat Beit Shemesh resident was carried out by two terrorists from the Palestinian village of Tzurif, not far from the site of Friday morning’s attack, which – it turns out – was perpetrated by a family member of the two young men (one of whom was killed by security forces), from the same village.

In response, Gush Etzion Regional Council Head Davidi Perl told reporters, “This morning’s stabbing attack… again proves that the Palestinian leadership has lost all basic human morality, and pushes children to bad deeds and death. We in Gush Etzion will continue to add light, to educate towards love of one’s fellow man and Israel, and we will also respect our neighbors who recognize our right to live in our land.”