advertisement
A Palestinian attacker opened fire early on Tuesday at the entrance to a settlement outside Jerusalem, killing three Israeli security men, and critically wounding a fourth, Israeli police and medical services said, in one of the deadliest attacks in a two-year spate of violence.
Gaza's Islamic Hamas rulers praised the attack, but stopped short of taking responsibility for it.
The attack comes amid a tense period during the Jewish high holidays, and is likely to complicate the mediation efforts of US peace envoy Jason Greenblatt, who arrived in the region for meetings with Israeli and Palestinians leaders.
Speaking at his weekly Cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack was partially a result of systematic Palestinian incitement, and said he expected Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to "condemn this attack and not try to justify it."
Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the attacker approached the back gate entrance of the Har Adar settlement, hiding among dozens of Palestinian day labourers who were being checked by security forces.
The Magen David Adom medical service said that in addition to the three killed, a fourth Israeli man, 32, was evacuated to hospital in critical condition. The casualties were identified as Solomon Gavria, a 20-year-old policeman, and two private security guards.
Shay Retter, the head of Har Adar's security committee, said that between 100 and 150 Palestinian laborers typically enter the community each day for work. Local residents said they knew the attacker from his previous work in the community, and were shocked to hear what he had done. The military imposed a closure on the nearby Palestinian village of Beit Surik, the home of the attacker.
"Before talking about any kind of negotiations, the world must demand of the Palestinian Authority to stop its incitement and encouragement of terror," he said, alluding to Greenblatt's visit and his goal of securing concessions for Palestinians.
Minister of Intelligence Israel Katz was even more blunt:
Netanyahu pledged that as a punitive measure, the attacker's home would be demolished and working permits of his extended family would be revoked.
However, Israel's internal Shin Bet security service downplayed ideology as a motive, saying the attacker was plagued with personal issues.
The attacker was identified as Nimr Mahmoud Ahmed Jamal and the Shin Bet said its preliminary investigation indicated there was significant violence in his family. His wife had recently fled to Jordan and left him with their four children, it said.
Israel blames the violence on incitement by Palestinian religious and political leaders compounded on social media sites that glorify violence and encourage attacks. Palestinians say the attacks stem from anger and frustration at decades of Israeli rule in territories they claim for a state.
The frequency and intensity of attacks has lessened of late, but such an incident, coming amid the Jewish high holiday, threatened to ignite them anew.
Gaza's Hamas rulers called Tuesday's assault a "heroic operation" that was a "natural response" to Israeli aggression against Palestinians and proved that the Palestinian uprising was still alive.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)