Four dead, 30 wounded in a bulldozer attack in Jerusalem

Wednesday July 02, 2008 12:53 by IMEMC Staff

At least three Israelis and a Palestinian have been killed and 30 were wounded, two seriously, as a bulldozer attacked a bus and a number of cars in Jaffa street in West Jerusalem on Wednesday midday.

Israeli sources said a Palestinian from Jerusalem carried out this attack, and was shot by Israeli police who were in the area. The attacker according to an Israeli police source had a criminal record.

No Palestinian groups claimed responsibility for the attack.

However, Abu Ahmad, of the Islamic Jihad told Al-Jazeera TV, said the movement does not have information about this attack. He added that this is a natural response to the "Israeli daily crimes" against the Palestinian people.

In a report by International Soldiery Society for human rights on Monday the Society stated that the Israeli army has killed 35 civilians and kidnapped at least 320, from Gaza and the West Bank during the month of June 2008

The report shows that during the month of June 2008 the Israeli army killed in total 35 Palestinians, 29 in the Gaza Strip and six in the West Bank.

According to Israeli sources, the assailant of Wednesday's attacks hit a number of cars, before he hit a bus with the bulldozer turning it on its side. The sources believe the bulldozer driver came from a nearby construction site. The area where the attack took place is dominated by orthodox Jews.

The Israeli Magen David Adom rescue services said that a total of 30 people were taken to Jerusalem hospitals, including two in serious condition.

The Israeli police announced state of high alert in Jerusalem.

Four dead in West Jerusalem "bulldozer rampage"

Date: 02 / 07 / 2008 Time: 12:32
Bethlehem – Ma'an/Agencies –

A bulldozer overturned a bus on Jaffa Road in West Jerusalem on Wednesday afternoon, wounding dozens in what Israeli media have labeled a deliberate attack. Four people were killed, including the driver of the bulldozer.

During the rampage the bulldozer left a nearby construction site and plowed into a crowded single-decker Egged bus, colliding with other vehicles and pedestrians on the way. The apparent attack took place near the old Central Bus Station and the headquarters of the Israel Broadcasting Authority.

Television footage shows Israeli gunmen, apparently security officers, climbing the cab of the bulldozer and shooting the driver in the head.

Israel Radio said one woman was killed while driving a Toyota that was crushed by the bulldozer.

The Israeli Magen David Adom ambulance service said that a total of 22 people were taken to Jerusalem hospitals, including two in serious condition. Four were moderately wounded and another 16 were lightly hurt.

The driver was a Palestinian from the Sur Bahir neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem in possession of a blue Israeli identification card. The driver was also reported to be in possession of a pistol, and had a criminal record.

Israel's Shin Bet security service believes the driver acted on his own. No organized group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The apparent attack was a surprise to both the Israelis and the Palestinians. More than one Palestinian official expressed surprise at the incident.

Like the Palestinian gunman who killed eight Israelis at a Jewish religious school in Jerusalem in March, the driver of the bulldozer came from East Jerusalem, which is under complete Israeli security control. East Jerusalem was annexed by Israel after the occupation of 1967. Jerusalem is cut off from the rest of the West Bank by a 15-meter concrete wall.

The attack took place during a declared ceasefire between Israel, Hamas, and other Palestinian armed groups.

***Updated at 14:20 local time

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