JERUSALEM (EJP)—A police officer and a 60-year-old woman were killed and five injured Sunday morning in a shooting attack by a Palestinian terrorist near a police station next to the Ammunition Hill light rail station in Jerusalem.
According to a police report released shortly after the incident, the terrorist opened fire from within his vehicle on people standing by the station situated opposite police headquarters.
The terrorist—identified as 39-year-old Mousabah Abu Sabih from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan and a full Israeli citizen—then fled the scene, continuing his rampage as he shot two people sitting in their car.
He then proceeded in the direction of Tomb of Simeon the Just in Sheikh Jarrah where he stopped his vehicle and began shooting at riot police pursuing him on motorbikes.
One of the officers was critically injured during the shootout and died from his wounds shortly thereafter. Another policeman was also lightly wounded in the fire exchange. Israel Border Police spotted the terrorist before shooting him dead.
Israel’s Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan, who arrived at the scene, told the press that there was no forewarning for this attack. “But we have said the whole time that because of the increase in the amount of incitement many will plan lone-wolf attacks,” he added.
He attributed responsibility for the attack to Facebook. “In my opinion, Facebook and other social media sites bear direct responsibility. It was two or three weeks ago that Facebook reopened Hamas’s pages following Palestinian public pressure. In my eyes, it’s scandalous.”
“I don’t necessarily draw a connection between this and the current attack,” the minister clarified.