An Arab driver rammed his vehicle into Jerusalem pedestrians, killing a policeman before being shot dead by security forces, in the latest attack to ramp up tensions in the contested city. The driver, who was shot dead by police, was identified by an Israeli security official as Ibrahim Akari from east Jerusalem,
Hamas, the militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, claimed responsibility. Police said that an officer was killed and another 13 people injured by a Palestinian resident of east Jerusalem and a member of Hamas.
A Facebook page that appeared to be Akari's included praise for a Palestinian shooting a week ago that wounded an Israeli activist who advocates lifting a de facto Israeli ban on Jewish prayer at the sensitive site revered by Jews as Temple Mount and by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary.
It was the second time in as many weeks that a Palestinian has turned his vehicle into a weapon, plowing into crowds with deadly results. Earlier today, police also clashed with stone-throwing Palestinians at the hilltop site holy to Jews and Muslims that’s at the heart of the escalation in violence.
Security forces briefly shut down access to the Temple Mount, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif and home to Islam's third-holiest site, the al-Aqsa mosque. Similar restrictions were imposed last week and have helped to fuel Palestinian rage. Other grievances include Israeli plans to build homes in east Jerusalem, which Palestinians claim as their capital.
"Jerusalem residents are under severe pressure from the Israeli government and these attacks are to be expected," said Ahmed Rafiq Awad, a political scientist at Al Quds University.
Tensions in the city have been mounting in recent months, spurred by the killing of Jewish and Arab teenagers, the 50-day conflict in Gaza, and Israeli settlement plans. Last week, a Palestinian shot and injured a leading advocate for Jewish rights to pray on the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest.
Jordan recalled its ambassador in protest at what it called "increasing and unprecedented Israeli escalation on al-Haram al-Sharif and the repeated Israeli violations in Jerusalem".
Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu blamed Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, for inciting the attack by urging Palestinians to stop Jews from visiting the Temple Mount.
“The car attack in Jerusalem is a direct result of the incitement by Abu Mazen and his partners in Hamas,” said Mr Netanyahu. Bloomberg/Reuters