Israel army thwarts bomb attack in West Bank

Jerusalem, Nov 23 (IANS) The Israeli army has said that it thwarted a Palestinian attempt to carry out an attack against soldiers in the occupied West Bank using makeshift bombs.The incident took place near the village of Al-Mughayyir in northeast of Ramallah city, reports Xinhua news agency.An Israeli military spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday that during "routine searches" in the area, troops spotted improvised explosive devices.The explosives were "camouflaged in order to harm IDF (Israel Defence Forces) troops," said the statement.Police explosive specialties were dispatched to the scene to neutralize the bombs. No injuries or damages were reported.The West Bank was seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and controlled by it ever since, despite international criticism. The Palestinians wish to build their future state on these lands.Over the past years, Palestinians have carried out sporadic attacks against Israeli security officers and settlers in the West Bank, but these attacks have recently decreased, especially since the outbreak of the coronavirus.
--IANS ksk/