Israeli police: Gunman opens fire, kills 2 at Tel Aviv bar

[rooster59]

Israeli police: Gunman opens fire, kills 2 at Tel Aviv bar

JERUSALEM (AP) — A gunman opened fire at a popular bar in the central Israeli city of Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon, killing two and wounding at least three others before fleeing the scene, police said.

The police said the motive for the attack, which took place on a busy main street, was not immediately clear and it was not known if the shooter was Palestinian or if it was a gangland shooting.

Spokeswoman Luba Samri said five people were wounded, two of whom died in hospital. She said a massive manhunt was underway for the shooter. Large police forces were deployed at the scene.

The attack comes amid more than three months of almost daily Palestinian attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers. On the Israeli side, 21 people have died, mostly in stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks. At least 131 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, 90 of them identified by Israel as assailants. The rest died in clashes with security forces.

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai visited the wounded in hospital and later said he spoke with those who were able to talk. He said that inside the bar, "friends were celebrating a birthday and a man opened fire at them from the outside."

He said "lessons will be learned" to improve security.

Channel 10 reported that an assault rifle was used in Friday's attack and that about 30 shots were fired. It said that Israeli police and special forces are going house to house in the area, searching for the gunman.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-01

[up-country_sinclair]

He said "lessons will be learned"

I doubt it.

But maybe Israelis will be more circumspect before voting in the next election.

[Jingthing]

I'm seeing a report that the terrorist is an Arab Israeli citizen (Wada Ara) motivated by Islamist extremism. In other words, Daesh-y rather than necessarily related to the "Knife Intifada" which has been going on. Israel has many enemies and some of those enemies are the same enemies that threaten modern civilization internationally. In Europe, the USA, Asia, etc. Unfortunately this terrorist is on the loose, for now, anyway.

Obsessive Israel demonizers ("anti-Zionists" ) who celebrate and try to make excuses for this kind of terror attack just because the victims happen to be Israeli Jews rather than Parisians or Californians, SHAME.

Edited January 1, 2016 by Jingthing

[NeverSure]

He said "lessons will be learned"

I doubt it.

But maybe Israelis will be more circumspect before voting in the next election.

Yeah. Maybe they'll vote for someone who isn't as big a wuss as Netanyahu and who won't put up with this shit.

Cheers.

[Jingthing]

He said "lessons will be learned"

I doubt it.

But maybe Israelis will be more circumspect before voting in the next election.

Yeah. Maybe they'll vote for someone who isn't as big a wuss as Netanyahu and who won't put up with this shit.

Cheers.

He's a politician who like any politician needs to balance pressures from both the right and left as well as diplomatic issues. I don't think it's fair to call him a wuss yet there is a lot to criticize there.

[farcanell]

He said "lessons will be learned"

I doubt it.

But maybe Israelis will be more circumspect before voting in the next election.

Yeah. Maybe they'll vote for someone who isn't as big a wuss as Netanyahu and who won't put up with this shit.

Cheers.

He's a politician who like any politician needs to balance pressures from both the right and left as well as diplomatic issues. I don't think it's fair to call him a wuss yet there is a lot to criticize there.

Of all the politicians the world over, his is the last job I would ever want.

[Jingthing]

Well, if you're an Israeli politician, it's the ultimate. I'm sure all countries have their own issues even if most aren't quite as dramatic as in Israel.

Edited January 2, 2016 by Jingthing

[Thorgal]

Looks like the attacker used a Italian M4 spectre semi-automatic machine gun...

http://m.jpost.com/Israel-News/VIDEO-Tel-Aviv-gunman-opens-fire-at-crowded-bar-on-Dizengoff-Street-439102#article=6020QTM1MDFFN0REODM5MEY1OTk4RDcyNDg5REJGMURFMjA=

Edited January 2, 2016 by Thorgal

[thaibeachlovers]

Here we go again. No doubt the usual posters will regurgitate the usual posts as per the last 10 threads on Israel.

I think I'll sit this one out.

[Jingthing]

Here we go again. No doubt the usual posters will regurgitate the usual posts as per the last 10 threads on Israel.

I think I'll sit this one out.

This one is somewhat different in numerous ways.

It's not a knife.

It's was in Tel Aviv. Not Jerusalem or West Bank.

The perp is known. He's an Israeli citizen.

It was probably Islamist inspired terrorism but there was even a theory that it was an anti-gay hate crime.

Tel Aviv of course the gay mecca of Israel but wonder why that came up. Perhaps the cafe is in a gay neighborhood?

Another different thing ... he got away! (So far.)

Edited January 2, 2016 by Jingthing

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.

[sendintheclowns]

Here we go again. No doubt the usual posters will regurgitate the usual posts as per the last 10 threads on Israel.

I think I'll sit this one out.

This one is somewhat different in numerous ways.

It's not a knife.

It's was in Tel Aviv. Not Jerusalem or West Bank.

The perp is known. He's an Israeli citizen.

It was probably Islamist inspired terrorism but there was even a theory that it was an anti-gay hate crime.

Tel Aviv of course the gay mecca of Israel but wonder why that came up. Perhaps the cafe is in a gay neighborhood?

Another different thing ... he got away! (So far.)

Good to see proper definitions used ( I.e. Islamist, rather than Muslim). Islamists are anti- everything, e.g. Israel, US (Jews & Christians). There is a huge misrepresentation about outfits like ISIS. They follow the extremist Sunni sect, of Wahhabism. Their aim to establish a feudal kingdom is funded by Saudi Arabia. Nobody should be surprised that 911 terrorists all came from Saudi Arabia. We are mushrooms.

[Scott]

An off-topic, baiting post has been removed.

[simple1]

Here we go again. No doubt the usual posters will regurgitate the usual posts as per the last 10 threads on Israel.

I think I'll sit this one out.

This one is somewhat different in numerous ways.

It's not a knife.

It's was in Tel Aviv. Not Jerusalem or West Bank.

The perp is known. He's an Israeli citizen.

It was probably Islamist inspired terrorism but there was even a theory that it was an anti-gay hate crime.

Tel Aviv of course the gay mecca of Israel but wonder why that came up. Perhaps the cafe is in a gay neighborhood?

Another different thing ... he got away! (So far.)

Equally differentiating is his father is an member of Israeli security who identified his son as the attacker. Apparently the weapon used was taken from his father's house.