Female Palestinian terrorist shot after stabbing Jewish man in latest Jerusalem attack
Victim shoots assailant in second attack at Old City site in 5 days; Firebomb arsenal seized by police in A-Tur.
By DANIEL K. EISENBUDUpdated: OCTOBER 7, 2015 19:28
A Jewish Israeli man is in stable condition after being stabbed in the back of his neck by a knife-wielding female terrorist, whom he was able to shoot, near Jerusalem’s Lion’s Gate in the Old City on Wednesday morning.It is the second stabbing attack at the historic site, located in the Arab Quarter’s Hagai Street, in five days.According to Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, CCTV surveillance footage showed the unidentified 18-year-old woman following the 35-year-old man as he entered the Old City via Damascus gate at approximately 10:30 a.m.“She closely followed him, and when she had the opportunity, the footage shows her stabbing him in the neck from behind,” said Rosenfeld. “He was armed, and was able to draw his weapon and shoot the female terrorist at close range.”Rosenfeld said Border Police officers stationed some 20 yards away rushed to the scene to assist the man and cordon off the area, before both the victim and assailant were treated by Magen David Adom paramedics.“The man was rushed to Hadassah University Medical Center in Ein Kerem in stable condition, and the terrorist was taken in critical condition, but will likely live,” said Rosenfeld.On Saturday night, a terrorist stabbed to death Rabbi Nehemia Lavie and Aharon Benita, and wounded Lavie’s wife and two-year-old son, in a similar knife attack by Lion’s Gate.The killer was shot dead by police after firing a pistol into a crowd of tourists.Several hours later, another terrorist stabbed a 15-year-old Israeli boy near a light rail stop a few kilometers away, before being shot and killed by police.Meanwhile, on Wednesday at roughly 6:30 p.m., Rosenfeld said a 15-year-old Arab boy was arrested in Abu-Tor after attempting to stab police on patrol in the neighborhood.
No one was wounded in the incident, he said.Additionally, late on Tuesday night, police seized 15 firebombs found on the roof of an Arab residence in the flashpoint neighborhood of A-Tur.“This is an important find of firebombs that can endanger our forces,” said Aviad Katafi, the chief superintendent and commander for Jerusalem’s Border Police, in a statement after the arsenal was found and its owner arrested.“We will continue to act with vigilance – both operationally and in terms of intelligence – in order to restore calm and uphold all civilians’ safety.Following Saturday’s deadly attack, police temporarily barred all Arab men under the age of 50 from entering the Old City, although the ban was lifted by Monday.Still, Rosenfeld said that police remain on heightened alert in and around the Old City, and throughout the capital.“Security assessments were made this afternoon, and further police operations are taking place in the Old City, including extra units and patrols stationed in different Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem,” he said.