Today, American Yeshiva student Ezra Schwartz was murdered in the Gush Etzion area of the West Bank in Jerusalem. He was one of three killed when a Palestinian terrorist open fired into a traffic jam.
The Jerusalem Post reports:
Seven others were lightly wounded in the attack, two Israeli women and five American yeshiva students. They were all evacuated to the Sha’are Tzedek Medical Center. The Americans are due to be released. while the two Israeli women will be hospitalized overnight. …Initial reports suggest that the terrorist fired at the cars as he drove by them and was even able to reload this gun. He then sped in the direction of the Alon Shvut settlement, but slammed into a car. The terrorist exited the vehicle and attempted to fire off further shots. Security forces shot at the terrorist and then arrested him. Video footage from the scene show the terrorist lying on the ground as soldiers surround him.
According to J Post, State Department spokesman Edgar Vasquez said that the United States considers this an act of terror. During the daily briefing, State indicated again that officials are aware of the killing, but did not offer up any information beyond what we’re seeing in the news.
These murders came on the heels of a deadly stabbing rampage in Tel Aviv, in which another Palestinian terrorist killed two people and wounded another. Fortunately, a few brave civilians were able to take the terrorist down before he could kill again or escape.
More from Fox News:
The violence unfolded at the Panorama office building and shopping center in southern Tel Aviv. Authorities said the assault started at a shop where people were engaged in mid-day prayers.”We were praying, when suddenly a man keeled over. Blood was spurting everywhere,” a witness told RT. The news agency reported that the attack took place in the building of its local bureau and all staff members are safe.The attacker then went to a lower floor and continued his spree until a civilian hit him with a metal pipe, the Algemeiner adds.Police arrested the man and began an interrogation in a nearby shop.One victim of the attack died at the scene. Another victim was evacuated and later died at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, while a third victim was still being treated there for torso wounds, the Algemeiner reports.
Here’s the landscape. The area in red highlights the West Bank/Gush Etzion junction where Ezra Schwartz and 2 others were killed. You can also find Tel Aviv in the upper left, and Gaza in the lower left if you need a reference point.
The Daily Mail has a photo spread showing what happened in both Tel Aviv and the West Bank. It’s graphic.
Also today, three 15 year-old Palestinian girls bearing knives attempted to infiltrate an Israeli military post in the West Bank, but they were apprehended.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attacks in Tel Aviv and the West Bank, saying, “The murderous terror has struck Gush Etzion and Tel Aviv. My heart is with the families of the murdered and I send my wishes for a speedy recovery to the wounded. Whoever condemned the attacks in France needs to condemn the attacks in Israel. It’s the same terror. Whoever does not do this is a hypocrite and blind.”
Whoever condemned the attacks in France needs to condemn the attacks in Israel. It’s the same terror. Can we put that on posters and paste them in every bus stop, coffee shop, and subway station in the western hemisphere?
It’s just that people seem to conveniently miss that point.
Featured Image here, via Facebook.
This post has been updated.
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