Israeli security guard stabbed at Jerusalem’s central bus station (PHOTO, VIDEO)
An Israeli security guard has been severely wounded in a stabbing attack outside Jerusalem’s central bus station, paramedics say. The knifeman has been taken alive into custody.
Medics at the scene treated a 25-year-old man for a stab wound to his upper body, Magen David Adom (MDA), head of Israel’s national medical emergency service, said on Twitter. The attack occurred on Jaffa Street in central Jerusalem.
#BREAKING: Palestinian terrorist stabbed an Israeli at the main bus station in Jerusalem - Israeli seriously injured pic.twitter.com/GyfoqZY5kG
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) December 10, 2017
Little is known about the attacker beyond the detail that he was neutralized and sustained a head wound, but survived.
This is the knife used by Palestinian terrorist, who stabbed a security officer this afternoon in Jerusalem, causing him serious injuries. pic.twitter.com/589OI8lWXf
— Israel Foreign Min. (@IsraelMFA) December 10, 2017
Israeli police later confirmed that the attacker was a 24-year-old Palestinian man. The background of the attacker, who tried to escape but was apprehended, is currently being investigated.
Terror attack in Jerusalem: a terrorist arrived to the city's central bus station, pulled out a knife & stabbed the security guard. The terrorist, a 24-year-old Palestinian, tried to escape but was caught by a policeman & a civilian & was taken for questioning
— Israel Police (@israelpolice) December 10, 2017
The attack comes at a time of heightened tensions over the US recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The move, announced by President Donald Trump earlier this week, triggered massive and violent protests in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and Jerusalem itself.
Over 1,000 Palestinians were involved in demonstrations, including 600 people in the West Bank and 450 in Gaza, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said on Friday. Dozens of people were injured during riots in Bethlehem Saturday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said as cited by WAFA.
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In East Jerusalem, mounted police and security forces fired tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets when the crowd approached an Israeli military base in the city. Protesters were setting trash cans alight, prompting a severe response from riot police.
A wave of anti-American and anti-Israeli protests also swept through numerous countries, with thousands of people taking to the streets in Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Trump’s decision was met with international fury and condemnation from politicians. The move has been described as highly dangerous and counterproductive in terms of reaching a peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
