A coordinated operation by undercover Border Police officers and Jerusalem District Police has led to the arrest of a man in his 20s, a resident of East Jerusalem, suspected of ramming a police officer during a traffic enforcement operation in the Atarot industrial zone and fleeing the scene. The suspect was apprehended in the town of Beit Jala following an intensive manhunt that lasted nearly two weeks.
The incident occurred during a routine traffic enforcement activity carried out by officers from the Jerusalem District Traffic Division in the Atarot area. According to police suspicion, when officers attempted to stop the vehicle for inspection, the driver accelerated, struck one of the officers, and fled the scene. The injured officer sustained minor injuries and was evacuated for medical treatment. The suspect abandoned his vehicle shortly afterward and disappeared.
Following the ramming and escape, an accelerated investigation was launched by the Shafat police station and the Jerusalem District investigations unit. As the investigation progressed, suspicions emerged that the suspect had fled into the West Bank in an attempt to evade arrest, believing that crossing the area would place him beyond the reach of Israeli law enforcement. Investigators assessed that he sought temporary refuge in Beit Jala.
Suspect arrested for running over police officer in Beit Jala, on the outskirts of Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/GtyqaStqPH
— jerusalem online (@Jlmonline) January 11, 2026
How Was the Suspect Tracked Down After Fleeing Jerusalem?
Over recent days, Jerusalem District investigators employed advanced intelligence and technological capabilities to pinpoint the suspect’s precise location. Once the intelligence picture was consolidated, a joint operational plan was formulated in cooperation with undercover Border Police units and IDF forces from the Etzion Brigade.
During the weekend, security forces entered Beit Jala using a combination of undercover and overt tactics. The forces surrounded the building where the suspect was located, breached the premises, and identified him on a balcony. He was arrested without further incident and transferred for questioning at the Shafat police station. He is expected to be brought before the Magistrate’s Court, where police will request an extension of his detention.
Jerusalem District Police emphasize that fleeing the scene, even beyond the Green Line, does not grant immunity from law enforcement. The message, officials say, is unequivocal: those who harm police officers in Jerusalem will ultimately be located and brought to justice.
A statement from the Jerusalem District Police said: “The West Bank is not a city of refuge. The Jerusalem District conducts a relentless pursuit of anyone required for questioning, regardless of where they attempt to hide. Through combined forces and advanced technology, we will reach any offender who tries to evade the law. We will continue to act at all times and in all places to ensure the safety of Israel’s citizens.”
