PM to soldiers from Tapu'ach intersection: "you saved many lives"

Today (Sunday), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived to thank and honor the work of soldiers and border police and Nachal brigade at the Tapu'ach junction. During his visit to the "Wadi" base of the Jerusalem Border Patrol, he thanked the fighters for their activities at the checkpoint. "One cannot know how many lives you saved," he told them.

As recalled, on 30.5 (Friday) in the early afternoon, two Border Policemen identified a suspect approaching the checkpoint on foot. The soldiers tensed and called out to him to stop after identifying him approaching the checkpoint wearing an overcoat. They then began performing the procedure of arresting a suspect and remote undressing. An explosive belt was found on the suspect's body, that if not for the alertness of the fighters it is likely that would have killed innocent people. The suspect was arrested and taken for questioning by the GSS where he admitted that he intended to carry out an attack.

Three days after thwarting a suicide attack in the same place, Border Guard officers and soldiers from the Nachal Brigade thwarted a shooting attack. Shortly before midnight, a terrorist armed with a pistol reached the Tapu'ach intersection. He opened fire at a Border Policeman who was wounded but managed to return fire and wound the terrorist. Border Policemen and soldiers of the Nahal Brigade charged at the terrorist and returned fire until he was disabled. During the exchange of fire, Alexander Dick - a Border Policeman, was wounded in the leg, and now is the process of rehabilitation.

The Prime Minister praised the fighters and said: "Time and time again you prove uncanny ability to protect the security of Israel. The first task is to maintain the security of your life and the security of the lives of Israeli citizens. Everyone prays for peace. The nation of Israel prays for peace every day, for thousands of years. But until that peace will come, we will continue to strengthen you so that you will continue to defend Israel. Finally this is what ensures our future and that's what will bring peace."

Public Security Minister MK Yitzhak Aharonovitz stressed: "As a former police commander, I can tell that the fighters have grown on a heritage and professionalism which is very high. Fortunate are the people that we have such fighters, Border Police as well as IDF soldiers who are guarding us and prevented an injury to many."

Border Police commander Major General Amos Yaakov, said: "The Israel Police is a body of moral values and acting out of a sense of mission. At both recent events at the Tapu'ach intersection, Border Police sought touch, demonstrated courage and risked their lives thus preventing a catastrophe. The warriors had in mind the top value of human life."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!