An Israeli policeman fires tear gas during clashes with Palestinian demonstrators, in the West Bank town of al-Ram, north of Jerusalem. (Press Trust of India photo)
An Israeli Arab who was shot and wounded when suspected of trying to carry out a knife attack staged the incident in a suicidal bid to get Israeli soldiers to shoot her, the justice ministry said Thursday.
A video of the incident gripped social media as a wave of violence took hold in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
It showed Esraa Abed, a 29-year-old Israeli Arab, brandishing a knife and encircled by Israeli security forces pointing their guns at her on October 9 at a bus station near the northern town of Nazareth.
The security forces opened fire and the young woman crumpled to the ground.
Ms Abed's act was considered another of the almost-daily stabbing attempts that have left nine Israelis dead and dozens wounded since early October.
The shooting of attackers, which has left many dead among the 62 Palestinians killed since the start of the unrest, has seen Israel accused by rights groups of using excessive force.
Local media had reported that Ms Abed was troubled after a divorce and after losing custody of her child, and had previously attempted suicide.
"Taking into account the psychological state of the accused and her previous suicide attempts, it has been established that she tried to commit suicide again... by pretending to want to carry out an attack to get security forces to shoot at her," read a statement from the justice ministry.
The woman, who according to local media reports was shot in the lower body and moderately wounded, was charged with "knife possession" and "carrying out threats".