Security guard at HaOman 17 after attack
Security guard at HaOman 17 after attackArutz Sheva: Flash 90

The Palestinian Authority announced Monday it does not support terrorist attacks on civilians after a lone terrorist from the city of Shechem (Nablus) in the Shomron (Samaria) stabbed eight people  at a Tel Aviv nightclub overnight. Shechem, except for the Tomb of Joseph, is part of the PA.

“The presidency condemns all attacks on civilians, including the incident in Tel Aviv early this morning,” announced the PA in a statement issued by the Ramallah government.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu noted the "deafening silence" of the Palestinian Authority in response to a bloody multi-pronged terrorist attack on August 18 which left eight Israelis dead and 40 others wounded. Netanyahu commented that such a silence raised serious questions about the PA's readiness for independence. The entity's silence was especially troubling in light of the fact that the attack was carried out by the Palestinian Authority's Gaza-based Popular Resistance Committees terrorist organization.

The PA statement issued today (Monday) also condemned the recent IDF air strikes against Gaza terrorists as they launched rocket attacks at southern Israeli communities, and its counter terrorism operations in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem. 

The Ramallah government also underscored the importance of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session in September. “Nothing will prevent us from achieving our goal, [however]", the statement added, according to Channel 10. The PA was referring to its upcoming bid for the United Nations to recognize the entity as a new country and to grant it membership in the international body.

The terrorist was blocked Sunday night from carrying out a far more lethal attack, by Border Guard police officers at a checkpoint stationed near HaOman 17. The 20-year-old Shechem resident who carried out the attack got into a taxi at the entrance to Salameh Street, stabbed the driver in the hand and hijacked the vehicle, driving it straight towards the club about a kilometer away.

The place was packed with high school-age teens attending a “back to school” bash when the terrorist rammed the car into the police barrier protecting the club. Several security officers on the scene were seriously injured, along with a number of civilians. Israel Police spokeswoman Luba Samri told reporters the perpetrator, whose identity has not yet been released, was immediately apprehended.

He was taken to Wolfson Medical Center for injuries sustained during his arrest and then released to police custody for questioning. The Minister for Public Security made a statement to the effect that the terrorist acted on his own initiative.