Three Israelis Killed, Dozens Wounded in Palestinian Jerusalem Attack

Three Israelis are dead and 46 others were injured when an East Jerusalem Palestinian man purposely plowed his tractor into a crowd of pedestrians and overturned two busses in downtown Jerusalem. [1] According to France 24 TV, an organization called The Movement to Liberate the Galilee has taken responsibility for the attack. The same group claimed responsibility for the attack on the Mercaz Harav religious seminary in March in which eight students were murdered. [2]



The driver was working with a company constructing Jerusalem’s light rail system. Many of the wounded were on the number 13 Egged bus that the tractor turned over. The terrorist was shot dead in order to force the tractor to a stop and prevent further casualties. [3]



Marcus Sheff, Director of the Israel Project's Jerusalem Office said "Cars are strewn about the road, some crushed unrecognizably. Two busses are lying on their sides with diapers and children's toys mixed among the shards of glass and pools of blood."



The man who killed the terrorist was Moshe Klessner, 18, who is reportedly the brother-in-law of IDF officer David Shapira. Shapira killed the terrorist who attacked the Mercaz Harav religious seminary. [4]



Nina Ben-Ami, Israeli Embassy Spokesperson in Paris, said in an interview with France 24 TV “We have to continue to negotiate peace with those who seek peace and defend ourselves from those who wish to murder men, women and children.”



Press Contacts and Eyewitnesses

Marcus Sheff, Director, The Israel Project-Jerusalem Office
Cell: 972-54-807-9177

Benny Rachmanov, Eyewitness
Cell: 972-50-993-9009

Mrs. Shoham Rubio
Spokesperson, Shaarey Tzedek Hospital – Treating injured
Cell: 972-50-740-0661

Meir Indor
Director of Almagor Terror Victims
Cell: 972-54-440-3636

Mark Regev, Spokesman, Foreign Press Adviser, Israeli Prime Minister’s Office
Tel.: 972-2-670-5555 (office); 972-2-670-5354 (direct)
E-mail: Gali.Cohen@it.pmo.gov.il
Web site: http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng

Micky Rosenfeld
Israel Police Spokesman
Tel: 972-50-627-5870 (cell)

Yael Bosem-Levi, Spokeswoman, Haddasah-Ein Kerem Hospital
Tel: 972-50-404-8666

Yerucham Mandola, Spokesman for Magen David Adom
Cell: 972-52-256-9955; Email: dover@mdais.co.il

Bernard Barrett, Jerusalem Representative, International Committee of the Red Cross
Tel.: 972-2-582-8845; Cell: 972-52-526-0191

Bana Sayeh, Jerusalem Representative, International Committee of the Red Cross
Tel.: 972-2-582-8845; Cell: 972-52-601-9142