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Deadly attack in Jerusalem synagogue | Deadly attack in Jerusalem synagogue |
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Two men armed with axes, knives and a pistol killed four Israelis and wounded several others in a Jerusalem synagogue on Tuesday in the worst such attack in years. | Two men armed with axes, knives and a pistol killed four Israelis and wounded several others in a Jerusalem synagogue on Tuesday in the worst such attack in years. |
The Palestinian assailants were killed in shootout with police at the scene, a synagogue in the ultra-orthodox Har Nof district in west Jerusalem. One police officer was wounded in the exchange of fire. | The Palestinian assailants were killed in shootout with police at the scene, a synagogue in the ultra-orthodox Har Nof district in west Jerusalem. One police officer was wounded in the exchange of fire. |
Violence in Israel and the Palestinian Territories has surged over the past few weeks. Attacks on synagogues are however unusual in the history of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. | Violence in Israel and the Palestinian Territories has surged over the past few weeks. Attacks on synagogues are however unusual in the history of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. |
The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, called the attack a “brutal murder of Jews who came to pray” and blamed both the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, for incitement he said had led to the attack. | The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, called the attack a “brutal murder of Jews who came to pray” and blamed both the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, for incitement he said had led to the attack. |
“This is the direct result of the incitement being led by Hamas and Abu Mazen, incitement which the international community is irresponsibly ignoring,” he said, according to a statement posted to his Facebook page | “This is the direct result of the incitement being led by Hamas and Abu Mazen, incitement which the international community is irresponsibly ignoring,” he said, according to a statement posted to his Facebook page |
Netanyahu - who is to meet with his security chiefs on Tuesday afternoon - said Israel would “respond with a heavy hand” to the attack. | Netanyahu - who is to meet with his security chiefs on Tuesday afternoon - said Israel would “respond with a heavy hand” to the attack. |
Hamas praised the attack but stopped short of claiming responsibility. A statement said it was a “response to continued Israeli crimes”. | |
The US secretary of state, John Kerry, described the attack an act of “pure terror” and called on Palestinian leaders to condemn the attack. | The US secretary of state, John Kerry, described the attack an act of “pure terror” and called on Palestinian leaders to condemn the attack. |
Witnesses described hearing “he” or “they’re coming out” in apparent references to the suspects as the men came out of the synagogue and one said he saw a man shot at the entrance but was unclear about whether the suspect was armed. | |
Another eyewitness said she heard first some gunshots, then when the police arrived a lot more gunshots. Police confirmed the deaths of the two attackers. | |
Police confirm 4 Israelis killed in synagogue attack in Jerusalem. Both terrorist shot and killed by police. | |
A paramedic who arrived at the synagogue while the siege was still going on described one of the victims drenched in blood after his chest had been repeatedly stabbed. | |
As he went further into the synagogue, he said he heard sounds of shooting and saw another man lying in a pool of blood. | |
Worshippers who were in the synagogue described the attackers coming towards them. “I tried to escape. The man with the knife approached me. There was a chair and table between us ... my prayer shawl got caught. I left it there and escaped,” man who gave his name as Yossi told Israeli Channel 2 TV. | |
Five Israelis and a foreign visitor have been deliberately run over and killed or stabbed to death by Palestinians in the past month. About a dozen Palestinians have also been killed, including those accused of carrying out those attacks. | Five Israelis and a foreign visitor have been deliberately run over and killed or stabbed to death by Palestinians in the past month. About a dozen Palestinians have also been killed, including those accused of carrying out those attacks. |
Residents trace the violence in Jerusalem back to July when a Palestinian teenager was burned to death by Jewish assailants, an alleged revenge attack for the abduction and killing of three Jewish teens by Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank. | Residents trace the violence in Jerusalem back to July when a Palestinian teenager was burned to death by Jewish assailants, an alleged revenge attack for the abduction and killing of three Jewish teens by Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank. |
The summer war in Gaza and a row over access to a Jerusalem compound sacred to Muslims and Jews alike have also been triggers for violence. | The summer war in Gaza and a row over access to a Jerusalem compound sacred to Muslims and Jews alike have also been triggers for violence. |