Tragedy Averted: Mother, Daughter Ambushed Outside Beit El

In what seems to have become a daily occurrence, Arabs ambushed a car carrying Jews just outside Beit El Wednesday night. Tragedy was averted when a family in another car chanced upon the scene.

In a growing trend, the Arabs targeted women and children.

Yael Shahak and her 8-year-old daughter Chen were returning home to Beit El around midnight from a family event. On the road between Givat Assaf and Beit El, they encountered a planned enemy ambush.

Young Chen told Arutz Sheva what she remembers from the event: “I was asleep and then I heard loud bangs. I woke up and managed to see two guys covered with a hat and a scarf, I thought they were covered because they were cold. I managed to see that they were Arabs and then suddenly they went.”

Her mother believes that this was more sinister than “just” a carjacking attempt. “In front of us, there was a car that looked good,” she recalled. “After taking the turn toward Beit El, a few meters before the “garbage route,” the car began slowing down. I tried to signal them by flashing the high beams at them but this did not help. When they stopped – my [mental] warning light went on. Now I was sure that this was a terror attempt, because they stood in the middle of the road and did not let me pass. I tried driving in reverse and they drove in reverse too. I tried to escape on the right side and they did not let me through.”

“Four of them came at me. They stood near my car, which was locked. They signaled me to open the car. I signaled them to go away. It was no use. One of them had something in his hand. They saw that I had a girl in the car. Chen was still asleep. It was no use, they started busting up the windows and the car with steel rods. Chen woke up and they kept at it. It was like a hallucination.”

Fortunately, just then another family drove up and the Arabs were gone in an instant. “I do not remember everything, these minutes seemed like a very long time,” Yael said. “Pieces of glass began falling on me. And then, in one second, they disappeared. Another car stopped next to me. I was afraid. And then I saw a child with a kippah and I opened the window. I asked them if they were Jews, I saw that they were and I began to cry.”

Yael is angry. “I was questioned by the police. They took my details and said it was an unusual incident for this sector. But what use is it? Events like this happen all the time and nothing happens.”

The Judea and Samaria police said that they are familiar with the event. “The complainant gave testimony and police have launched an investigation.”

Read more at Arutz Sheva.

{Arutz Sheva/Matzav.com Newscenter}