Three Israelis injured in occupied West Bank drive-by shooting
May 3, 2021, 9:54 am

Three Israelis injured in occupied West Bank drive-by shooting

Israeli soldiers stand guard after closing the entrance of Nablus city in the occupied West Bank, on May 2, 2021, following a reported attack. (Jaafar Ashtiyeh /AFP)

Three Israelis were wounded Sunday in a drive-by shooting in the occupied West Bank, medics and the army said, with Defense Minister Benny Gantz blaming “terrorists” for the attack.

The shooting at a bus station at Tapuah junction south of Nablus bore the hallmark of Palestinian militants.

“A suspicious vehicle arrived at the junction and fired toward Israeli civilians who were present at the scene,” the army said in a statement.

“IDF (army) troops responded with fire toward the suspicious vehicle which escaped the scene,” it added.

Israel’s emergency medical service Magen David Adom said three people in their 20s were evacuated to hospital, one in critical condition.

The three were identified by officials as students from a religious seminary in the nearby settlement of Itamar.

The army said its forces had blocked off routes and were pursuing the assailants.

Security forces will not rest “until they apprehend the terrorists behind the attack,” Gantz’s office said in a statement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We will not allow terrorism to raise its head and we will strike our enemies with force.”

Soldiers who entered Beita, a village south of Nablus, were confronted by a “violent riot” during which Palestinians hurled rocks and firebombs at them,” the army said.

“The troops responded with riot dispersal means and with fire,” it said, with Palestinian security sources reporting three people seriously wounded by gunfire.

No Palestinian group claimed the shooting, but Yigal Dilmoni, head of the Yesha settlers’ council, blamed “the Palestinian Authority and their friends in (Islamist movement) Hamas.”

Earlier Sunday, a Palestinian woman was seriously wounded at Gush Etzion junction in the southern West Bank after approaching Israeli soldiers with a knife.

Video footage showed the soldiers repeatedly calling on her to stop, before shooting her.

She later died of her wounds in a Jerusalem hospital, with Israeli officials naming her as Fahima al-Hroub, born in 1961, from Bethlehem.

According to Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, security forces in 2020 thwarted 238 shooting attacks and 70 stabbings in the West Bank and annexed east Jerusalem.

source: AFP

Image source: AFP

Levant

Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercept ballistic missile, 2 drones targeting Najran Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune seeks to calm social anger

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.