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Far-right rabbi shot and seriously wounded in attack in Jerusalem Far-right rabbi shot and seriously wounded in attack in Jerusalem
(about 11 hours later)
A far-right rabbi was shot and seriously wounded outside a conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday. A far-right rabbi was shot and seriously wounded outside a conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday. Israeli police said they later shot and killed a suspect who was resisting arrest.
The conference was attended by prominent Israeli activists associated with recent efforts to gain more Jewish prayer rights on the Temple Mount.The conference was attended by prominent Israeli activists associated with recent efforts to gain more Jewish prayer rights on the Temple Mount.
While details remained confused, it appears the man was shot several times at close range outside the city’s Begin Centre by a gunman who escaped by motorcycle. The injured man was rushed to hospital after the shooting, which took place at approximately 10.30pm. While details remained confused, it appears the man, identified as Yehuda Glick, was shot several times at close range outside the city’s Begin Centre by a gunman who escaped by motorcycle. The injured man was rushed to hospital after the shooting, which took place at approximately 10.30pm.
The incident seems bound to inflame already high tensions in the city.The incident seems bound to inflame already high tensions in the city.
Israeli media reports identified the victim as Yehuda Glick, a US-born figure closely associated with the Temple Mount Faithful, a religious rightwing group that seeks to rebuild a Jewish temple at the religiously-important site that contains the al-Aqsa mosque and where the ancient second Jewish temple reputedly once stood. US-born Glick is closely associated with the Temple Mount Faithful, a religious rightwing group that seeks to rebuild a Jewish temple at the religiously-important site that contains the al-Aqsa mosque and where the ancient second Jewish temple reputedly once stood.
Glick often led groups of religious Jews to visit the site, and had been a key speaker at the conference billed as “Israel Returns to the Temple Mount” with MPs Moshe Feiglin and Miri Regev.Glick often led groups of religious Jews to visit the site, and had been a key speaker at the conference billed as “Israel Returns to the Temple Mount” with MPs Moshe Feiglin and Miri Regev.
Feiglin, a highly-controversial figure in his own right who has been accused of stoking tensions at the religious site, told the Israeli website Ynet that the man who shot Glick had confirmed Glick’s identity in “Arab-accented” Hebrew. That claim was not confirmed by police.Feiglin, a highly-controversial figure in his own right who has been accused of stoking tensions at the religious site, told the Israeli website Ynet that the man who shot Glick had confirmed Glick’s identity in “Arab-accented” Hebrew. That claim was not confirmed by police.
“What happened is horrible but very expected. Glick was constantly threatened. The fact that he was not assigned protection at all times is a failure. I say this as someone who is the target of constant incitement,” Feiglin said.“What happened is horrible but very expected. Glick was constantly threatened. The fact that he was not assigned protection at all times is a failure. I say this as someone who is the target of constant incitement,” Feiglin said.
Shai Malka, Feiglin’s spokesman, described the moment of the shooting: “I stood next to him. The conference was over and he went outside to load his car.Shai Malka, Feiglin’s spokesman, described the moment of the shooting: “I stood next to him. The conference was over and he went outside to load his car.
“Next to it stood a Palestinian motorcyclist wearing black. I saw his gun and I yelled to the woman with me ... We started running. The Palestinian said to him: ‘Sorry, I have to do this,’ and shot him.”“Next to it stood a Palestinian motorcyclist wearing black. I saw his gun and I yelled to the woman with me ... We started running. The Palestinian said to him: ‘Sorry, I have to do this,’ and shot him.”
According to reports in Hebrew media, police and Shin Bet, the Israeli domestic security agency, had at various times sought to ban Glick from visiting the religious site.According to reports in Hebrew media, police and Shin Bet, the Israeli domestic security agency, had at various times sought to ban Glick from visiting the religious site.
Police sources said it was too early to determine the motive for the attack, despite the depiction of the attack by eyewitnesses as an attempted assassination by a Palestinian. The shooting comes amid a period of sharply-raised tension in the city between Israelis and Palestinians, in part caused by tension over the issue of the flashpoint location. The shooting comes amid a period of sharply-raised tension in the city between Israelis and Palestinians, in part caused by tension over the issue of the flashpoint location.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting police set up road blocks in the hunt for the suspect.In the immediate aftermath of the shooting police set up road blocks in the hunt for the suspect.
“Shots were fired and the victim was rushed to an area hospital in serious condition,” said police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. “Special patrol units are searching the area for the suspect and we are investigating the background of the incident.” On Thursday Israeli police said they shot dead a Palestinian after he fired at them while resisting arrest in East Jerusalem.
“Anti-terrorist police units surrounded a house in the Abu Tor neighborhood to arrest a suspect in the attempted assassination of Yehuda Glick, immediately upon arrival they were shot at. They returned fire and shot and killed the suspect,” police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.
Israeli housing minister Uri Ariel said following the shooting: “I am praying for the full recovery of Yehuda Glick. The bullets fired at him were directed at all the Jews that want to exercise their Jewish and moral right to visit the most holy place to the Jewish people and to pray at the Temple Mount.Israeli housing minister Uri Ariel said following the shooting: “I am praying for the full recovery of Yehuda Glick. The bullets fired at him were directed at all the Jews that want to exercise their Jewish and moral right to visit the most holy place to the Jewish people and to pray at the Temple Mount.
“I call on the prime minister to immediately allow every Jew to freely go to the Temple Mount, and to act with an iron fist against the criminals responsible for this deed.”“I call on the prime minister to immediately allow every Jew to freely go to the Temple Mount, and to act with an iron fist against the criminals responsible for this deed.”
The shooting took place despite the fact that Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu had ordered police reinforcements into Jerusalem following weeks of unrest that have seen almost daily clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces around the Temple Mount and in eastern areas of the city.The shooting took place despite the fact that Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu had ordered police reinforcements into Jerusalem following weeks of unrest that have seen almost daily clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces around the Temple Mount and in eastern areas of the city.