2017 Jerusalem Light rail stabbing | |
---|---|
Location | Jerusalem, Israel |
Date | April 14, 2017 12:50 a.m. (UTC+03:00) |
Weapons | kitchen knife |
Deaths | 1 |
Injured | 2 |
Perpetrator | Palestinian |
Motive | Under investigation |
The 2017 Jerusalem Light Rail stabbing was a stabbing attack and suspected act of terrorism that occurred on Good Friday, April 14, 2017, on Jerusalem Light Rail's car. In the attack, A British student was stabbed to death by a Palestinian. Two others, one a pregnant woman, were injured in the incident.[1]
Attack
The attack occurred at about 1:00 pm April 14, 2017, as a knife-welding man stabbed a 23 years old British tourist. An off-duty police officer riding the light rail pulled an emergency brake and tackled the perpetrator, who was then arrested.[2][3][4][3]
According to Israel's domestic security service, Shin Bet, the attacker was known to the authorities and this may have been a “suicide by soldier,” a phenomenon seen in other incidents in the last 18 months, "in which a Palestinian suffering from mental health or personal issues has chosen to carry out an attack as a way out of his problems."[4]
Context
Stabbing attacks were rare in Israel in 2017, although there was a spate of them in the fall of 2015 and early 2016.[5] The attack took place as crowds of pilgrims form around Israel and the world gathered in the center of Jerusalem ot celebrate Good Friday.[5]
Perpetrator
The attacker was Gamil Tamimi (57), a Palestinian Arab from the Ras al-Amud neighborhood of East Jerusalem who was known to security services had recently been released from a mental health facility where he was treated for attempted suicide.[6][4]
In 2011 Tamimi was convicted of molesting his daughter.[6]
Victim
Hannah Bladon, a 21-year-old student in Israel on an exchange program from the University of Birmingham was killed in the attack.[7][8][9][2]
Response
- Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu said: "Radical Islamic terrorism is striking world capitals. Regretfully, terrorism struck today in Israel's capital – Jerusalem."[6][3]
- Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said “The bitter news of the young woman’s death in a terror attack in Jerusalem fills me with deep sorrow.”[10]
- Mark Regev Israeli ambassador to the UK, said: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of UK student Hannah Bladon, who was murdered in a senseless act of terror in Jerusalem today."[4]
References
- ^ Fisher, Ian (14 April 2017). "British Student Is Fatally Stabbed on Train in Jerusalem". Retrieved 14 April 2017 – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ a b "Jerusalem stabbing: Hannah Bladon named as victim". BBC. 14 April 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ a b c Beaumont, Peter (14 April 2017). "Jerusalem stabbing: British student, 21, killed close to Old City". Guardian. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference
auto
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Eglash, Ruth (14 April 2017). "Woman fatally stabbed in Jerusalem amid Good Friday gatherings". Washington Post. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ a b c Hasson, Nir; Khoury, Jack (14 April 2017). "British Student Killed in Jerusalem Stabbing Attack; Assailant Mentally Unstable". Retrieved 14 April 2017 – via Haaretz.
- ^ http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.783493
- ^ Gross, Judah Ari (14 April 2017). "British woman murdered in Jerusalem attack named as Hannah Bladon, 21". Times of Israel. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ Brown, Grame (14 April 2017). "Jerusalem student stabbing: Tributes after 'inquisitive and adventurous' Hannah Bladon is killed". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.783493