Hit and run attack: what is happening in Jerusalem?
Hamas claims responsibility for the killing of an Israeli policeman amid fears of a third intifada
An Israeli policeman has been killed in a "hit-and-run terrorist attack" in Jerusalem, sparking further fears that the violence could lead to a third intifada.
Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack, with an official from the Islamist militant group praising it as a "glorious operation" and calling for more attacks to take place.
What happened yesterday?
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The man, identified as Ibrahim al-Akri drove his vehicle into a crowd of pedestrians in East Jerusalem, killing a police officer and injuring 13 civilians, three of them critically. According to eye-witnesses, he then exited his car and began attacking people with an iron rod.
"A border policeman, taking the initiative, drew his weapon and eliminated the terrorist," Nir Barkat, the mayor of Jerusalem, told journalists at the scene of the attack, according to The Guardian.
The attack came just hours after Palestinians clashed with Israeli police in protests at the holy site of the al-Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jewish worshippers as the Temple Mount. Protesters were responding to a prayer vigil that had been planned by Israeli activists who are banned from playing at the site.
What has been happening?
Yesterday’s killing is the second fatal car attack in as many weeks. Last week, a woman and a baby died after a Palestinian man drove into them in the street. The violence in Jerusalem has been escalating, with almost daily clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security officials, the BBC reports.
Why did it happen in Jerusalem this time?
The location is culturally and historically significant as Jerusalem has long been at the centre of the conflict with both sides claiming it as their holy capital. Palestinians are asking for East Jerusalem to be the centre of their future state while Israel says the whole of the city is its "eternal capital".
Last week, Rabbi Yehuda Glick was shot and seriously injured for advocating for Jewish prayer rights at the Temple Mount. In response to the attack, the holy site was closed for several days, a move the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas described as "an act of war".
What has the reaction been?
Each side accuses the other of instigating the continuing violence in the city. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blames Hamas for the violence while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said the Israeli security forces in the country need to shoulder the blame.
"This is a hard day for Jerusalem," Jerusalem’s mayor said yesterday. The mayor urged the government to act with "a firm hand to win the war" against terror and rioting. "The only answer is to get the city back to normal and continue our daily lives because that sends a message to these terrorists: ‘We are here and we will not leave,’ " he said.
Meanwhile, Jordan has recalled its ambassadors to Israel in protest at what it calls "unprecedented Israeli escalation". It is also expected to lodge a formal complaint with the United Nations Security Council, according to Haaretz.
What next?
There are growing fears that the escalating violence could lead to a third intifada, as the fate of Jerusalem, and particularly the compound, remains "one of the most contentious issues" between Israelis and Palestinians.
"There is still a lot of tension and a huge police presence here," Al Jazeera's Imtiaz Tyab reported from Jerusalem. Yesterday’s attack combined with provocations by Israeli police, which include briefly entering the al-Aqsa mosque during yesterday’s protests, "will certainly not do anything to calm the situation," he said.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Miracles in the mud'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Blow your mind with The Week Junior Big Book of Knowledge!
The Week Junior Packed to the brim with brain-expanding facts and mind-blowing information, this is the unmissable first book from The Week Junior and the perfect gift for curious kids.
By The Week Junior Published
-
Crossword: October 3, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel's suspected mobile device offensive pushes region closer to chaos
In the Spotlight After the mass explosion of pagers and walkie-talkies assigned to Hezbollah operatives across Lebanon, is all-out regional war next, or will Israel and its neighbors step back from the brink?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
A brief history of third parties in the US
In Depth Though none of America's third parties have won a presidential election, they have nonetheless had a large impact on the country's politics
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 March
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?
Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Sweden clears final NATO hurdle with Hungary vote
Speed Read Hungary's parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden's accession to NATO
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published