RTFri, 16 Jun 2017 17:46 UTC
© Reuters
A 20 year-old Israeli border guard is in critical condition in a Jerusalem hospital, and several civilians are injured after two simultaneous knife and gun assaults in the historic city center. Two assailants have been shot dead, and another two detained, according to police.
Israeli media reported that in one of the incidents, close to Damascus Gate, the attackers rushed at a group of border guards, with one brandishing a homemade submachine gun, which jammed. Both of the assailants were killed.
The second attack reportedly happened outside the tourist landmark Zedekiah's Cave several dozen yards away, with the perpetrators swinging wildly at passersby. Two people are reported to have been "lightly injured" in the incident.
The attackers were identified by the Shin Bet internal security agency as Bra'a Salah and Asama Atta, both born in 1998, and Adel Ankush, born the following year. All three were shot dead as they carried out their attacks at the scene by security forces.
The attackers were from Deir Abu-Mashal, a village near Ramallah, and had previously been arrested for or involved in "terrorist activity," a Shin Bet statement said. Security forces late Friday night surrounded Deir Abu-Mash'al, and were preparing to raid the assailants' homes to question their family members regarding the attack.
Comment: Islamic State claims fatal stabbing of Israeli policewoman; Israel unconvinced
The Islamic State on Friday night claimed responsibility for a coordinated shooting and stabbing terror attack in Jerusalem that killed an Israeli police officer, Hadas Malka, 23, in what the jihadist group vowed would be the first of many attacks.
The jihadist group in an online statement said three IS fighters had targeted "a gathering of Jews" in an operation Friday, and warned that "this attack will not be the last."
"With God's help, we succeeded in carrying out an attack in the heart of Jerusalem," the group said.
This was the first time that the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for an attack in Israel, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist organizations.
Such claims are often impossible to corroborate, and Islamic State has taken responsibility in the past for attacks in which it was not directly involved.
Hamas dismissed the claim. Israeli officials also cast doubt on it, saying there was no indication of IS involvement, and that the attack did not appear to have been directed by any group.
In its statement, IS said the attack was "revenge for the religion of Allah and the sanctities of the violated Muslims."
"Let the Jews watch for the demise of their state at the hands of the soldiers of the Caliphate," the statement added.
Early on Saturday morning, Hamas rejected IS's claim of responsibility, saying the three belonged to Palestinian terrorist organizations.
"The claim by the Islamic State group is an attempt to muddy the waters," said Sami Abou Zouhri, spokesman for the terrorist group which runs the Gaza strip.
The attack was carried out by "two Palestinians from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and a third from Hamas," he said.
In the wake of the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revoked the entry permits given to Palestinians during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to visit their relatives in Israel.
Israel had eased restrictions on the entrance of Palestinians from the West Bank for Ramadan, including permitting daily family visits during Sundays through Thursdays.
Netanyahu canceled the family visits at the recommendation of Chief of Police Roni Alsheich and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, according to a police statement.
Netanyahu, however, did not revoke the permission given to Palestinian men aged over 40 from the West Bank to enter Jerusalem for Friday prayers, police said.
Comment: Islamic State claims fatal stabbing of Israeli policewoman; Israel unconvinced