Two Palestinians stab woman in West Bank, shot dead: Army

Tel Aviv: Two Palestinians stabbed an Israeli woman near a group of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank on Thursday before being shot dead, the army said, the latest in a months-long wave of violence.

The incident occurred at the Ariel junction in the West Bank. The wounded woman was being taken to hospital, while the two assailants were shot by forces at the scene, the Israeli army said.

Since October 1, a wave of violence has killed 196 Palestinians, 28 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese, according to an AFP count.

Most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to the Israeli authorities.

Others were shot dead during protests and clashes.

Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest.

Israel blames incitement by Palestinian leaders and media as a main cause of the violence. Most of the attackers have been young people, including teenagers, who appear to have been acting on their own.