A terror attack took place at one of the gates leading into the ancient Temple Mount compound in the Old City of Jerusalem last night.
Footage obtained by TV7 appeared to show a Palestinian Islamist walking knife in hand toward the Huta Gate. He then stabbed a 19-year-old Border Police officer the moment after arrival at a stationary checkpoint.
According to the Jerusalem Station Chief of the Israel Police Commander, Nati Gur, the incident occurred about 8:40 PM. CDR Gur also said that the assailant was neutralized during his attempts to attack additional police officers, who ‘quickly ended the immediately threat.’
The Israeli Border Police officer was taken to Hadassah Medical Center for treatment in moderate condition. A 60-year-old Israeli passerby was also lightly-injured from shrapnel while walking in the area with her daughter (who was unhurt) at the time of the attack.
It should be noted that that incident took place amid heightened tensions and furor on the Palestinian streets over the United Arab Emirates declaration of intent to normalize relations with the Jewish State.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayeh, who is considered as a “moderate” by the international community. He condemned “normalization of relations between the State of the Emirates and the State of Occupation” as “unacceptable.”
Shtayeh also proclaimed that “The intruder Israel is the common enemy of the Arabs,” and maintained it is forbidden for Muslims to pray at the al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City as long as it is “under Israeli sovereignty.”
Such rhetoric has subsequently exacerbated hostilities on Palestinian streets, with protests against the United Arab Emirates erupting at several locations across the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The repeated burning of Emirati flags and posters depicting UAE Crown Prince Mohammad Bin-Zayed as a traitor led one Israeli lawmaker to deliver a scathing warning to the Palestinian public.
“For the Palestinian brothers, I want to give you some brotherly advice, Emirati citizens are different to Israelis and Americans,” said Yisrael Beiteinu Party Knesset member Eli Avidar. “You are used to burning our flags every morning – and you beg for our aid in the afternoon. The people of the Emirates are different, it’s an Arab nation which has dignity; they will not forget. Your brothers who reside in the Emirates will be expelled due to your attitudes.”
“For once you have to think with a logic or at least think,” admonished Avidar, in a reminder of how Kuwait deported all Palestinians during the 1991 Gulf War after their leaders sided with Iraq.