2017 Jerusalem truck attack | |
---|---|
Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict [1] | |
Location | East Talpiot, East Jerusalem |
Coordinates | 31°45′16″N35°13′53″E / 31.754414°N 35.231492°E |
Date | 8 January 2017 13:00 (UTC+2) |
Attack type | Vehicular assault |
Weapons | Semi-trailer truck |
Deaths | 4 (1+ attacker) [2] |
Injured | 17 [3] |
Assailant | Fadi al-Qanbar |
A vehicle-ramming attack occurred in Jerusalem on 8 January 2017. A truck driven by an Arab citizen of Israel plowed into a group of uniformed Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers disembarking from a bus on the Armon Hanatziv Esplanade in East Jerusalem's East Talpiot neighborhood, close to the Trotner park and UNTSO headquarters, killing four and injuring 15.
Just hours after the incident, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) for the attack, raising questions about how he came to that conclusion. [4] Opponents criticized the Israeli Government for downplaying the political side. [5] Later, the attack was claimed by an unknown Palestinian group called "The Martyr of Baha Alyan Collective", citing political motives. [6] The attack was condemned by the United Nations, European Union, the United States and others. [7]
At around 13:00, a truck rammed into a group of IDF soldiers at a promenade in the East Talpiot neighborhood in southeast Jerusalem. One male and three female soldiers were killed and 15 soldiers were injured. Of those injured, two were in critical condition after the attack. [8] The attacker was shot dead by several of the soldiers and their civilian tour guide. [9] Israeli officials describe the attack to be an "act of terrorism". [10] [11]
Initial reports, including an account by the civilian tour guide who used his personal handgun to shoot at the driver, alleged that one of the soldiers hesitated before shooting, possibly as a result of the manslaughter conviction earlier in the month of Sgt. Elor Azaria, who had killed an incapacitated Palestinian assailant. [12] [13] Despite this report, the IDF reported that at least two soldiers fired at the attacker, and denied a connection between troops' response to Azaria case. [13] [14] One of the cadets at the scene is quoted as saying that they fought for their friends and "Nobody was scared to shoot for even one minute". [15]
The four fatalities were IDF soldiers studying in the Haim Laskov officers school: three cadets and an officer. [16]
These ranks reflect their posthumous promotions. [17]
A 28-year-old [18] Arab Israeli man from Jabel Mukaber [19] in East Jerusalem [20] driving a car with an Israeli license plate. Nana 10 reported that he had served time in jail in the past, [21] and Walla! reported he had Israeli citizenship. [22]
Prime Minister Netanyahu blamed ISIL soon after the attack stating "all signs show he is a supporter of the Islamic State". The claims made by him just hours after the attack raised questions to how he came to that conclusion. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman also drew parallels with ISIL attacks in Germany and France. Opponents accused the Israeli government of downplaying politics, they claimed that Palestinian attacks are more motivated by nationalism rather than religion and considered Israeli accusations to be unconvincing for policymakers. [5] Later reports stated that the perpetrator was a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and that the PFLP had claimed him as their member. [23] Others alleged that the perpetrator supported ISIL. [24] A little-known Palestinian group called "The Martyr of Baha Alyan Collective" claimed responsibility on 9 January. It stated that it had no outside links, had acted on political motives and it wasn't its first attack. It also warned that it would carry out more attacks in the future. [6]
Of nine suspects taken into custody on suspicion of involvement, five were members of the perpetrator's family: his wife, parents, and two siblings, [25] and an Israeli Cabinet meeting was scheduled. [26]
At 20:00 local time Channel 2 reported that shots had been fired from the Jabel Mukaber at the Israeli Border Patrol. [27]
Channel 10 reported that Israel had started to put concrete obstacles around the village Jabel Mukaber. [28] [ non-primary source needed ]
NRG stated that the title used by the BBC, "Driver of lorry shot in Jerusalem after allegedly ramming pedestrians, injuring at least 15, Israeli media report", was biased. [29] Later that day Honest Reporting, an advocacy group focused on defending Israel in the media, [30] [31] wrote that the BBC modified the title [32] and iterated over several other titles. Mako have criticized Fox News and CNN in addition to BBC for the titles that they used to describe the event. Mako claimed that omitting such information (withholding that it was a terrorist attack and done by a Palestinian) constitutes falsifying the reports. [33] Mako also claimed that it is the same case as it was during Sharona market shooting, the murder of Hadar Cohen and the March 2016 attacks. [33] Honest Reporting also criticized CNN, New York Times, The Guardian and NPR. [34] Honest Reporting called the news headlines biased when they do not explain the key factors of terror attack or fail to mention that they were carried out by a Palestinian assailant, or for refusing to use the term "terrorist". [34]
East Talpiot or Armon HaNetziv is an Israeli settlement in southern East Jerusalem, established by Israel in 1973 on land captured in the Six-Day War and occupied since then. The international community considers East Talpiot to be an Israeli settlement that is illegal under international law. With a population of over 15,000 Israeli settlers, East Talpiot is one of Jerusalem's Ring Neighborhoods.
On July 2, 2008, an Arab resident of East Jerusalem identified as Hussam Taysir Duwait attacked several cars on Jaffa Road in Jerusalem in a vehicle-ramming attack using a front-end loader, killing three civilians and wounding at least thirty other pedestrians, before being shot to death. Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said that an inquiry indicated the attacker had been acting alone. A motive for the attack could not immediately be determined, but police at the scene referred to the incident as a terrorist attack. Three copycat attacks have occurred since then.
Jabel Mukaber is a predominantly Palestinian neighborhood in southern East Jerusalem. It is bordered by East Talpiot to the west, Abu Tor and Silwan to the north and Sur Baher to the south. Jabel Mukaber has a population of approximately 30,000 (2017).
The Itamar attack, also called the Itamar massacre, was a terrorist attack on an Israeli family in the Israeli settlement of Itamar in the West Bank that took place on 11 March 2011, in which five members of the same family were murdered in their beds. The victims were the father Ehud (Udi) Fogel, the mother Ruth Fogel, and three of their six children—Yoav, 11, Elad, 4, and Hadas, the youngest, a three-month-old infant. The infant was decapitated. The settlement of Itamar had been the target of several murderous attacks before these killings.
On August 18, 2011, a series of cross-border attacks with parallel attacks and mutual cover was carried out in southern Israel on Highway 12 near the Egyptian border by a squad of presumably twelve militants in four groups. The attacks occurred after Israel's interior security service Shin Bet had warned of an attack by militants in the region and Israeli troops had been stationed in the area. The militants first opened fire at an Egged No. 392 bus as it was traveling on Highway 12 in the Negev near Eilat. Several minutes later, a bomb was detonated next to an Israeli army patrol along Israel's border with Egypt. In a third attack, an anti-tank missile hit a private vehicle, killing four civilians. Eight Israelis – six civilians, one Yamam special unit police sniper and one Golani Brigade soldier—were killed in the multiple-stage attack. The Israel Defense Forces reported eight attackers killed, and Egyptian security forces reported killing another two.
The 2011 Tel Aviv nightclub attack was a combined vehicular assault and stabbing attack which occurred on 29 August 2011 when a Palestinian attacker stole an Israeli taxi cab and rammed it into a police checkpoint guarding the popular nightclub, Haoman 17, in Tel Aviv which was filled with 2,000 Israeli teenagers. After crashing into the checkpoint, the attacker jumped out of the vehicle and began stabbing people. Four civilians, four police officers, and the assailant were injured in the attack. The assailant was living illegally in Israel at the time of the attack.
The August 2012 Sinai attack occurred on 5 August 2012, when armed men ambushed an Egyptian military base in the Sinai Peninsula, killing 16 soldiers and stealing two armored cars, which they used to infiltrate into Israel. The attackers broke through the Kerem Shalom border crossing to Israel, where one of the vehicles exploded. They then engaged in a firefight with soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), during which six of the attackers were killed. No Israelis were injured.
A terrorist ramming attack occurred on 4 August 2014 in Jerusalem, when a Palestinian drove an excavator out of a construction site, injuring several pedestrians and killing a civilian before ramming the tractor into a public bus, overturning the bus and then hitting it repeatedly. The terrorist was shot dead at the scene by two police officers while still seated at the wheel of the tractor and continuing to attack the bus by swinging the arm of the excavator against it.
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In a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv, Israel on 8 June 2016, two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on patrons at the Max Brenner Cafe at the Sarona Market, killing four people and injuring seven others. The perpetrators were caught alive by the security forces and put in custody. According to an official indictment filed by the Tel Aviv District Prosecutor's Office the perpetrators were inspired by the Islamic State group.
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On the morning of 26 September 2017, a Palestinian gunman opened fire at Israeli security guards at the entrance gate of Har Adar, an Israeli settlement and affluent residential border community of Jerusalem located largely on the other side of the green line within the West Bank. Three Israeli security guards were killed and one was injured. The gunman was shot dead by the remaining guards. The Israeli authorities described the attack as an 'act of terrorism'.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)The driver of the truck was identified as Fadi al-Qanbar, a resident of the capital's Jabel Mukaber neighborhood, according to Arab media. The truck, with Israeli license plates, came from the direction of that neighborhood, which is adjacent to the promenade. He was in his late 20s, married with four children, and had served time in Israeli jail, Channel 2 said. He bought the truck last year.