Israel: Assailant opens fire on bus station, soldier killed

[webfact]

Israel: Assailant opens fire on bus station, soldier killed
By TIA GOLDENBERG

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Arab attacker armed with a gun and a knife opened fire in a southern Israel bus station on Sunday, police said, killing an Israeli soldier and wounding 10 people in one of the boldest attacks yet in a monthlong wave of violence.

The attack came as Israel further tightened security around the country, highlighted by the construction of a barrier separating Jewish and Arab neighborhoods in east Jerusalem. In a bid to halt the fighting, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he would meet the Israeli and Palestinian leaders in the coming days.

Israel has deployed thousands of police, backed up by troops, to maintain order following a spate of attacks, mostly stabbings, by Palestinian assailants. Those measures have so far failed to stop the violence.

In Sunday night's attack, police said the Arab assailant entered the central bus station in the southern city of Beersheba and began shooting and stabbing people. They said an Israeli soldier was killed, five police were lightly wounded and five civilians were wounded to varying degrees.

Yoram Halevy, a police commander in southern Israel, told reporters that in addition to the knife and gun he entered with, the attacker also snatched a weapon from the soldier he killed.

The attacker, whose identity was not immediately known, was shot and killed.

A foreigner was shot by police during the attack after they apparently mistook him for an assailant. Halevy said security forces responding to the attack entered the bus station from another area and saw a "foreign national," shooting and wounding him.

Israeli media said the foreigner was an Eritrean national living in Israel.

Israeli media showed footage of a blood-streaked floor and rows of ambulances outside the bus station. Security camera footage from the bus station aired on Israeli TV showed what appeared to be a civilian shooting the attacker as soldiers and civilians crouched for cover nearby.

The attack was one of the most serious incidents amid near-daily bouts of violence that has hit Israel and the Palestinian territories over the past month. After the attack, a crowd of Israelis gathered outside the bus station and chanted "death to Arabs."

The unrest erupted in Jerusalem a month ago over tensions surrounding a Jerusalem holy site sacred to Jews and Muslims. It soon spread to Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem and then to the West Bank, Gaza and Israel.

Israel has struggled to contain near-daily attacks by Palestinian assailants. Authorities have blocked roads and placed checkpoints at the entrances of Palestinian neighborhoods in east Jerusalem. Other security measures include ID checks and requiring some Palestinian residents to lift their shirts and roll up pant legs as they exit their neighborhoods to prove they are not carrying knives. Soldiers have been deployed in Jerusalem and cities across Israel.

On Sunday, Israeli police erected a barrier to separate the Jewish neighborhood of Armon Hanatziv from the adjacent Palestinian neighborhood of Jabal Mukaber as part of the heightened security. A number of attackers have come from Jabal Mukaber.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the barrier, a row of six concrete slabs about five meters (16 feet) high, was meant to protect Armon Hanatziv from rocks and firebombs lobbed from Jabal Mukaber.

But erecting a barrier dividing areas of Jerusalem is a sensitive step, testing Israel's repeated statements over the years that the city is its undivided, eternal capital.

Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed the area in a move that is not recognized internationally. The Palestinians want east Jerusalem as the capital of their hoped-for state.

"This has no political meaning, said Emmanuel Nahshon, a spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry. "It's one more aspect of our security measures."

Samri, the police spokeswoman, said the barrier would remain "for as long as needed" and that it could be lengthened based on security needs.

On Sunday, the six slabs lined a sidewalk on a road between the Jewish and Arab neighborhoods. Writing in Hebrew on the barrier said it was a "temporary, mobile police barrier." It did not prevent pedestrians from leaving or entering.

Palestinians said the roadblocks are collective punishment and ineffective in deterring attackers.

Israeli leaders say the violence is due to Palestinian incitement. But Palestinians say it is the result of years of Israeli occupation, failed peace efforts and lack of hope among their youth.

Much of that hopelessness is found in Arab areas of east Jerusalem. They complain of discrimination, noting that municipal services from education to garbage pickup in their areas are neglected.

Over the past month, nine Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks, most of them stabbings. In that time, 41 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire, including 20 labeled by Israel as attackers, and the rest in clashes with Israeli troops.

The daily attacks have caused a sense of panic across Israel and raised fears that the region is on the cusp of a new round of heavy violence.

The outbreak was fueled by rumors that Israel was plotting to take over Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site, a hilltop compound revered by Jews as the Temple Mount and home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest shrine and a key national symbol for the Palestinians.

Israel has adamantly denied the allegations, saying it has no plans to change the status quo at the site, where Jews are allowed to visit but not pray. It accuses the Palestinians of inciting to violence through the false claims.

Also Sunday, the Israeli military removed dozens of Jewish worshippers who clashed with Palestinians during an unauthorized visit to a Jewish shrine in the West Bank that was recently torched by Palestinians.

The military said some 30 Jews visited the Joseph's Tomb compound in Nablus, a site revered by Jews as the tomb of the biblical figure Joseph. The area is under Palestinian control but Jewish prayer is permitted there when coordinated with authorities. The military said Sunday's visit was not, and the worshippers had no permit. When they arrived they were confronted by Palestinians and a violent clash ensued. In consultation with Palestinian security forces, the military extracted the worshippers. One of them was lightly wounded and five were taken for police questioning.

On Friday, Palestinian assailants firebombed the West Bank compound, the first assault on a religious site in the current round of violence.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his government would start going after the finances of the Islamic Movement in Israel, a group he accuses of being the chief inciter of the recent violence.

"Israel is not the problem at the Temple Mount, Israel is the solution," he told his Cabinet. "We will protect the status quo, we are the only ones who are doing this and we will continue to do it responsibly and seriously."
___

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-10-19
Associated Press photographer Ariel Schalit in Jerusalem contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-10-19

[hard124get]

The Israeli objective was to segregate and and ban Arabs from parts of East Jerusalem. Work backwards from there.

[ezzra]

Assailant... what a nice word for a terrorist.... and how much sugar coating can the world's media

apply to minimize the crimes of the Palestinian's ' Assailants ' ?

[Jingthing]

Assailant... what a nice word for a terrorist.... and how much sugar coating can the world's media

apply to minimize the crimes of the Palestinian's ' Assailants ' ?

Exactly. This shooter WAS (some good news here) a terrorist, no grey area about it. He opened fire on innocent civilians in an attack clearly related to the recent terrorism wave inspired by the fake issue of alleged intention to change the status quo at the Temple Mount.

[konying]

Assailant... what a nice word for a terrorist.... and how much sugar coating can the world's media

apply to minimize the crimes of the Palestinian's ' Assailants ' ?

Exactly. This shooter WAS (some good news here) a terrorist, no grey area about it. He opened fire on innocent civilians in an attack clearly related to the recent terrorism wave inspired by the fake issue of alleged intention to change the status quo at the Temple Mount.

Why you looking for justification,

For the regular arab lovers group it makes no difference.

when jews are killed they justify it with dumbest reasoning

when IDF responds harshly, they whine about disproportionate force

when civilians respond in self defence, all over sudden they whine about not having an investigation

do you see a pattern here? like dogs with bones and its killing them to know Israel is around and prosper.

seen any arabs living happily anywhere?,

[Emster23]

Expect more of this. Israel of course wants Palestinians to sit down and talk. That's all Israel's leaders want to do: talk. Easy solution for the problem: Get the hell out of West Bank and go back to your "homeland" of Israel. Been there 48 years.... all the while imposing apartheid laws (notice they shot bystander because he didn't look "jewish"), grabbing more land for settlements, and ignoring international law.

People can only take so much of this and eventually decide enough is enough. I am amazed ISIS hasn't gotten a foothold in there. Seems like fertile ground with those who feel they have nothing to lose.

[Jingthing]

I wouldn't expect Israel to just withdrawal all residents from Judea and Samaria voluntarily. Only possible as the result of negotiations where that makes political and security sense to Israel. Don't hold your breath!

The shooting of the Eritrean (presumably black African) Israeli Jew by Israeli forces was obviously an accident. I don't see any policy implications in such a tragic random accident. Different ethnic flavored civilian Jews and Arabs can often be mistaken for each other unless they're wearing very identifiable religious garb.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Jingthing

[Traveling Sailor]

"Israel is not the problem at the Temple Mount, Israel is the solution," he told his Cabinet

Wrong! Israel occupation and oppression of Palistinians (sp?) for many years is the problem. Just guessing, but I would say that the oppressed people are just fed up and are beginning to take matters into their own hands since over 20 years of negotiations has seen no progress.

[konying]

"Israel is not the problem at the Temple Mount, Israel is the solution," he told his Cabinet

Wrong! Israel occupation and oppression of Palistinians (sp?) for many years is the problem. Just guessing, but I would say that the oppressed people are just fed up and are beginning to take matters into their own hands since over 20 years of negotiations has seen no progress.

Arab part is under Jordanian jurisdiction ?

You see any Jordanian police policing it?

It's good to know the facts before posting drivel.

Residents are not prohibited from visiting, outsiders are . Those are a risk to national security and have proven over and over to be a risk.

[Jingthing]

Before that it was Turkish. So what?

[up-country_sinclair]

Assailant... what a nice word for a terrorist.... and how much sugar coating can the world's media

apply to minimize the crimes of the Palestinian's ' Assailants ' ?

Exactly. This shooter WAS (some good news here) a terrorist, no grey area about it. He opened fire on innocent civilians in an attack clearly related to the recent terrorism wave inspired by the fake issue of alleged intention to change the status quo at the Temple Mount.

This man was undeniably a martyr and he exhibited immense courage. He had to know that the occupiers would kill him, but he completed his mission to defend his fellow Palestinians, their rightful land and threats to the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the oppressive occupying regime.

The occupiers decided a long time ago that there were no soft targets in this war. Now its citizens are beginning to realize that there's a flip side to that coin. And it's only going to continue. Elections have consequences.

[hard124get]

Before that it was Turkish. So what?

So immediately before it was Israel, it was Palestine. So, denying there was ever a Palestine is a bit silly.

[cooked]

Assailant... what a nice word for a terrorist.... and how much sugar coating can the world's media

apply to minimize the crimes of the Palestinian's ' Assailants ' ?

Exactly. This shooter WAS (some good news here) a terrorist, no grey area about it. He opened fire on innocent civilians in an attack clearly related to the recent terrorism wave inspired by the fake issue of alleged intention to change the status quo at the Temple Mount.

This man was undeniably a martyr and he exhibited immense courage. He had to know that the occupiers would kill him, but he completed his mission to defend his fellow Palestinians, their rightful land and threats to the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the oppressive occupying regime.

The occupiers decided a long time ago that there were no soft targets in this war. Now its citizens are beginning to realize that there's a flip side to that coin. And it's only going to continue. Elections have consequences.

He was a bloody halfwit that thought he would be getting stuck into his 72 virgins by now. He will have been subjected to propaganda about Jews being pigs and monkeys and following Muhammed's deathbed command to kill all the Jews (because they has resisted and mocked the pompous oaf during his lifetime). It doesn't matter what convoluted historical arguments are brought forward, Islam wishes to kill all the Jews. They refuse to sit down at a table for peace talks with Israel. Screw 'em.

[Scott]

A post with foreign language has been removed along with replies. Please stay on topic and stop with inflammatory remarks.

[konying]

Before that it was Turkish. So what?

So immediately before it was Israel, it was Palestine. So, denying there was ever a Palestine is a bit silly.

There never ever was a country called Palestine, stop with the nonsense already

[Jingthing]

Before that it was Turkish. So what?

So immediately before it was Israel, it was Palestine. So, denying there was ever a Palestine is a bit silly.

There never ever was a country called Palestine, stop with the nonsense already

That is correct.

But imagine how the Arab/Muslim/European "progressive" "anti-Zionist" world be squawking if Israel actually did include all of the land of BRITISH MANDATE palestine.

That's one HUGE chunky matzoh ball piece of land!

Imagine -- there's enough land there for each Jew to have a rancho like in Argentina.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Jingthing

[lungbing]

What reporter Tia Goldenberg does not mention is that in addition to shooting an innocent man because he didn't look Jewish, passers-by then kicked and spat on the innocent dying man. Will the killer of this innocent man be brought to Israeli justice?

[Jingthing]

What reporter Tia Goldenberg does not mention is that in addition to shooting an innocent man because he didn't look Jewish, passers-by then kicked and spat on the innocent dying man. Will the killer of this innocent man be brought to Israeli justice?

If you're talking about the tragedy of the Eritrean man being mistaken for a terrorist, I just read that the mob who killed him are now being sought with a view towards charging them. But the way you put it is a huge lie. He was not attacked because of his appearance, he was attacked because this mob incorrectly thought he was a terrorist. They were wrong. Fog of war kind of stuff but really horrible.

[Scott]

A post with incorrect information has been removed along with reply.

[up-country_sinclair]

What reporter Tia Goldenberg does not mention is that in addition to shooting an innocent man because he didn't look Jewish, passers-by then kicked and spat on the innocent dying man. Will the killer of this innocent man be brought to Israeli justice?

When Palestinian lives are concerned, there is no such thing as "Israeli justice". Just ask the family whose infant was burned to death by the despicable "settlers" a few months ago. Edited October 19, 2015 by up-country_sinclair

[Scott]

Please stay on topic.

[Seastallion]

What reporter Tia Goldenberg does not mention is that in addition to shooting an innocent man because he didn't look Jewish, passers-by then kicked and spat on the innocent dying man. Will the killer of this innocent man be brought to Israeli justice?

If you're talking about the tragedy of the Eritrean man being mistaken for a terrorist, I just read that the mob who killed him are now being sought with a view towards charging them. But the way you put it is a huge lie. He was not attacked because of his appearance, he was attacked because this mob incorrectly thought he was a terrorist. They were wrong. Fog of war kind of stuff but really horrible.

It is a tragedy.

It is also very soft and vague language that the authorities are seeking the killers "with a view towards charging them". Imagine an otherwise law-abiding group of Arab Israelis who mistakenly killed a Jew thinking he was a price tag terrorist about to attack them. Some would be dead already, shot at the scene, and all the rest would already be locked up.

It's not a lie, especially not a "huge lie" that those Israelis killed the Eritrean because of his looks. They thought he was a terrorist? Why? was he yelling "Allah hu akhbar!"? No. It was because he looked like someone that they thought fits a racial profile in their mind. Appearance.

[Morch]

Expect more of this. Israel of course wants Palestinians to sit down and talk. That's all Israel's leaders want to do: talk. Easy solution for the problem: Get the hell out of West Bank and go back to your "homeland" of Israel. Been there 48 years.... all the while imposing apartheid laws (notice they shot bystander because he didn't look "jewish"), grabbing more land for settlements, and ignoring international law.

People can only take so much of this and eventually decide enough is enough. I am amazed ISIS hasn't gotten a foothold in there. Seems like fertile ground with those who feel they have nothing to lose.

Far as I recall, Abbas's recent speech in the UN called for talks. He repeated the same on several occasions since. Leaders on both sides did, while at the same time playing the tunes hotheads on both sides want to hear. Unless the claim is that talks are desirable only if suggested by Palestinian leadership (when they signify a "moderate" approach) its hard to see what the objection is based upon.

Nobody imagines that current talks will solve the conflict. Apart from those inciting to and partaking in violence on the ground, and those cheer-leading hard line positions from beyond their screens - most people would would probably consider anything contributing to calm as positive. Even if it is a short term respite.

The Eritrean was not killed because he didn't look Jewish. If you had a look at the clips and have even a passing knowledge of the region, many of the attackers on the lynching mob had looks that could be mistaken for Arab. Israeli media is actually rife with comparisons on how similar this scene looked with some Palestinian episodes.

[Morch]

I wouldn't expect Israel to just withdrawal all residents from Judea and Samaria voluntarily. Only possible as the result of negotiations where that makes political and security sense to Israel. Don't hold your breath!

The shooting of the Eritrean (presumably black African) Israeli Jew by Israeli forces was obviously an accident. I don't see any policy implications in such a tragic random accident. Different ethnic flavored civilian Jews and Arabs can often be mistaken for each other unless they're wearing very identifiable religious garb.

The Eritrean was not an Israeli and not a Jew, but an asylum seeker/refugee/work migrant.

[Jingthing]

I wouldn't expect Israel to just withdrawal all residents from Judea and Samaria voluntarily. Only possible as the result of negotiations where that makes political and security sense to Israel. Don't hold your breath!

The shooting of the Eritrean (presumably black African) Israeli Jew by Israeli forces was obviously an accident. I don't see any policy implications in such a tragic random accident. Different ethnic flavored civilian Jews and Arabs can often be mistaken for each other unless they're wearing very identifiable religious garb.

The Eritrean was not an Israeli and not a Jew, but an asylum seeker/refugee/work migrant.

Yes I know that already. I posted that early in the news about this. No need to correct multiple times. Thank you.

[Morch]

Assailant... what a nice word for a terrorist.... and how much sugar coating can the world's media

apply to minimize the crimes of the Palestinian's ' Assailants ' ?

Exactly. This shooter WAS (some good news here) a terrorist, no grey area about it. He opened fire on innocent civilians in an attack clearly related to the recent terrorism wave inspired by the fake issue of alleged intention to change the status quo at the Temple Mount.

This man was undeniably a martyr and he exhibited immense courage. He had to know that the occupiers would kill him, but he completed his mission to defend his fellow Palestinians, their rightful land and threats to the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the oppressive occupying regime.

The occupiers decided a long time ago that there were no soft targets in this war. Now its citizens are beginning to realize that there's a flip side to that coin. And it's only going to continue. Elections have consequences.

Wasn't aware you were an advocate of religious zealotry. Guess I got it wrong.

The terrorist, however, was an Israeli Bedouin, not a Palestinian (his mom is, granted Israeli citizenship). Most of his family denounced his actions, as did leaders of his clan and the Bedouin minority. To head off silliness - no, Bedouins and Palestinians are synonymous, and relationships between them are complex to say the least.

How was attacking civilians well within Israel contributing to the defense of the Palestinians? What actual threat was in evidence (without ignoring Palestinian actions, please) as far as al-Aqsa goes?

Elections have consequences - got to love this one. Back when the very same claim was made (not by myself, mind) in the other direction, to justify Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, it was utterly rejected, including by yourself.

[Morch]

What reporter Tia Goldenberg does not mention is that in addition to shooting an innocent man because he didn't look Jewish, passers-by then kicked and spat on the innocent dying man. Will the killer of this innocent man be brought to Israeli justice?

If you're talking about the tragedy of the Eritrean man being mistaken for a terrorist, I just read that the mob who killed him are now being sought with a view towards charging them. But the way you put it is a huge lie. He was not attacked because of his appearance, he was attacked because this mob incorrectly thought he was a terrorist. They were wrong. Fog of war kind of stuff but really horrible.

It is a tragedy.

It is also very soft and vague language that the authorities are seeking the killers "with a view towards charging them". Imagine an otherwise law-abiding group of Arab Israelis who mistakenly killed a Jew thinking he was a price tag terrorist about to attack them. Some would be dead already, shot at the scene, and all the rest would already be locked up.

It's not a lie, especially not a "huge lie" that those Israelis killed the Eritrean because of his looks. They thought he was a terrorist? Why? was he yelling "Allah hu akhbar!"? No. It was because he looked like someone that they thought fits a racial profile in their mind. Appearance.

He was killed simply because a moron security officer shot and wounded him, the mob took it as a sign that he is terrorist. If looks were the only criteria, about a third of the people in the bus station would be in body bags.

There is quite a backlash over this, compounded with previous cases and the vigilante attitude in evidence. That officials refrain from fiery rhetoric some seem to favor is a good thing.

[up-country_sinclair]

Civilians, eh? The occupiers decided there were no soft targets, and now they're beginning to realize the full ramifications of that choice.

You spoke to the martyr and he told you how he identified? Do tell. Or are you just regurgitating what you've read in the Zionist media?

My response of elections having consequences is a direct call back to the apologists for the occupiers who used that term last year.

Hurry on back to keeping up your quota.

Edited October 20, 2015 by up-country_sinclair

[Scott]

Please stay on topic and keep it civil.

[Ulysses G.]

Before that it was Turkish. So what?

So immediately before it was Israel, it was Palestine. So, denying there was ever a Palestine is a bit silly.

Governed by Great Britain. There has NEVER been an independent Arab country called Palestine. NEVER EVER.