Gunman Wounds Eight in Jerusalem Shooting
A Palestinian man opened fire on a bus in Jerusalem on Sun., reportedly wounding eight people, five of which were US citizens. Two of those shot were in serious condition, including a pregnant woman and a man with gunshot wounds to the head and neck.
Facts
- A Palestinian man opened fire on a bus in Jerusalem on Sun., reportedly wounding eight people, five of which were US citizens. Two of those shot were in serious condition, including a pregnant woman and a man with gunshot wounds to the head and neck.
- The attack occurred as the bus was waiting near Zion Gate in Jerusalem's old city near the Western Wall and was allegedly carried out by Amir Sidawi - a resident of east Jerusalem who is said to have later surrendered himself to the police.
- Although the attack hasn't been claimed by any militant groups, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad welcomed what they termed a "heroic operation."
- Israeli security forces were investigating the scene and initially pushed into the nearby Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan while pursuing the suspected attacker.
- The attack comes only a week after an exchange of airstrikes and rocket fire in Gaza lead to the deaths of 49 Palestinians, including 17 children and 14 militants.
- Violence in Israel and the West Bank has been on the rise this year. Only a day after the Gaza ceasefire, Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants and wounded dozens of bystanders in a shootout that erupted during an arrest raid in the West Bank city of Nablus.
Sources: New York Post, Jerusalem Post, USA Today, Independent, and PBS News Hour.
Narratives
- Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Breitbart. This is but the latest instance of Arab violence in Israel. With tensions still high after the recent strikes in Gaza, Israeli security forces must be diligent in the face of more dangerous terrorist activity, where attackers may seek to damage the very fabric of Israeli life. Fortunately, the police have proven they can be trusted to protect Israelis.
- Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Al Jazeera. While violence should never be condoned, such incidents come as a reaction to Israeli acts of aggression against Palestinians. Israel has launched several military operations and killed dozens of Palestinians in the West Bank this year alone - not to mention last week's brutal attack on Gaza - enflaming the security situation by radicalizing Palestinians to seek revenge.
