Israel is experiencing a wave of terrorist attacks focused on Jerusalem. Many of these attacks are being carried out by young boys, many armed with handguns.
An IDF Border Police officer was killed on Monday night during a stabbing attack by a 13-year-old Palestinian terrorist. 22-year-old Staff Sgt. Asil Sawaed was carrying out a security check on a bus in the Shuafat neighborhood of Jerusalem when the terrorist attacked him. A civilian security guard accompanying Sawaed fired his weapon, inadvertently killing him. Sawaed, a Bedouin, was buried on Tuesday in the village of Husniyeh in Northern Israel.
Shortly after the attack, a contingent of IDF soldiers entered Shuafat to arrest people connected with the incident. They were attacked by stone-throwing and a car sped toward them. The soldiers opened fire as per the IDF rules of engagement and the driver was neutralized. The Arab driver was taken for treatment after the incident.
The attack that killed Sawaed was the second stabbing in Jerusalem in the course of two hours.
Earlier, a 17-year-old Israeli boy was stabbed by a Palestinian terrorist near the Chain Gate in the Old City. The Israeli victim fled toward the Western Wall and was treated there by paramedics before being evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem in moderate condition. The 14-year-old attacker fled, entering the Temple Mount and the Aqsa Mosque. Police closed the Temple Mount until they were able to arrest him. He was reportedly a resident of Shuafat.
These attacks come just three days after three Israelis were murdered in a Palestinian ramming attack in Ramot, Jerusalem. Two of the victims were brothers, ages six and eight. Their father is still hospitalized and fighting for his life. A 20-year-old newlywed man was also murdered in that attack.
On Sunday, the Israeli Cabinet announced that in response to the attack, they had approved the legalization of nine Jewish settlements on state land.
The US State Department released a statement expressing that it was “deeply troubled” by the decision.
Earlier on Monday, the Jerusalem Municipality demolished two homes belonging to the family of the terrorist who carried out the attack.
At the same time, the United Nations issued a statement condemning Israel for what they called “domicide” (i.e. the murder of houses).
“The sealing of family homes of suspected offenders and the subsequent demolition of their homes is in fundamental disrespect of international human rights norms and the rule of law,” the statement read, citing “experts”. “Such acts amount to collective punishment which is strictly prohibited under international law.”
Early Monday morning, the IAF conducted airstrikes in the Gaza Strip in response to rocket fire that targeted southern Israel on Saturday. The airstrikes targeted an underground rocket manufacturing facility belonging to Hamas.
Terrorist groups in Gaza responded to the airstrike by firing four surface-to-air missiles. IDF tanks responded with fire targeting Hamas positions.
Israel is currently suffering an extended wave of terror. Four weeks ago, a Palestinian terrorist opened fire on a group of Jews gathered outside of a Jerusalem synagogue on Friday night, killing seven people.,
The following morning, a 13-year-old Palestinian terrorist opened fire with a handgun, wounding a father and his son, an officer in the IDF.
The IDF has been carrying out Operation Breakwater since the summer in an attempt to neutralize the terrorist infrastructure in Jenin and Shechem.
