In what may be the beginning of a new wave of terror against Jews, Palestinian terrorists carried out three attacks over the weekend.
By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News
Mayor Barkat holds the hand of one of the wounded officers as he is evacuated form the scene of the attack. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Palestinians committed three terror attacks against Israeli security forces in the Jerusalem vicinity over the weekend, just a day after the country celebrated Independence Day.
In the most severe incident, a Palestinian drove his car into a group of police officers on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, moderately wounding a policewoman and lightly wounding two others. The police opened fire on the assailant, but he managed to flee. They launched a manhunt, during which the car used in the attack was recovered, and later the terrorist himself was caught.
The three wounded officers were evacuated to Shaare Zedek hospital in Jerusalem.
Arabs began rioting in the area after the attack, and the unrest spread to other neighborhoods in the capital. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat was on his way to the scene of the attack when Arabs pelted rocks at his car, which was lightly damaged.
In another incident, a Palestinian terrorist was shot at the A-Zaim checkpoint in northern Jerusalem on Friday night after he tried stabbing security forces manning the post. The terrorist, Ali Said Abu Ranem, 16, from Jerusalem, died of his wounds.
In the third incident, which occurred on Saturday in Hebron, a Palestinian terrorist stabbed a soldier in the neck as he was guarding the Cave of the Patriarchs. He was moderately wounded. The terrorist, Mahmoud Assad Salaymah, in his 20s, was shot and killed.
A Border Policeman who was on site recounted the incident: “During routine activity at the Tzalbanit Checkpoint, next to the Cave of Patriarchs, a Palestinian suddenly appeared and began stabbing one of the soldiers on my team. In a split second we understood that this was a terror attack, and I understood that we needed to act quickly. I fired to neutralize the terrorist while he was leaning over my comrade and stabbing him. When the event lasts only a few seconds, there is no time to hesitate. You must think precisely and act immediately. That is how we are trained.”
An Israeli soldier stands guard outside the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. (Nati Shohat/ Flash90)
Commenting on the string of incidents, Jerusalem District Police Commander Moshe Edri said that police were bringing reinforcements and preparing for any development.
“All the recent attacks were committed by unaffiliated terrorists…we will do all we can to secure our roads and to prevent an escalation. We are aware that an intensification in the violence may happen, and we are prepared to respond to any development,” Edri said.
The most recent attack before this latest string of incidents occurred in Jerusalem on April 16, when an Arab rammed his car into two Israelis sitting at a bus stop, killing Shalom Cherki, 25, and critically wounding Shira Klein, 20. A Hadassah hospital spokesman announced Saturday night that her condition has improved in the past few days. She was taken off the respirator and is breathing on her own as well as talking with her family.