Scene at Damascus Gate January 30th
Scene at Damascus Gate January 30thSecurity Camera

The Jerusalem District Attorney submitted indictment letters to the Jerusalem District Court on Wednesday against two Arab teenagers, who are accused of attempting to carry out a murderous knife attack against Jews. They are indicted on two counts, one of attempted murder and a second for possession of a knife.    

According to the indictment letter the two teens watched a series of inciting videos on the internet which negatively portrayed Israeli authorities in Jerusalem and aired libels as to how soldiers "search" Palestinian women, following which they decided to carry out an attack to murder Jews and become "martyrs."

Two weeks ago on Saturday January 30, the two teens each took a knife whose blade was at least 10 centimeters long, buying them each from a different store located near their homes, with the intention of using them to carry out an attack. They then proceeded to conceal the weapons in their shirt sleeves and traveled to the Old City of Jerusalem.

At approximately 4 p.m.  they entered the Old City via the Damascus Gate. They met another Arab youth, aged 11, and encouraged him to join them. He joined them and brought with him a metal pipe. The three went to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and then returned to the Damascus Gate area, where they sat near the steps at the entrance to the gate and waited for Jews to pass by so that they could attack them.  

At approximately 5 p.m. a group of young Jews, consisting of three men and a woman, exited the gate. The Arab teens took out their knives and approached the Jews from behind. One of the Arab teens swiped his knife at one of the Jews who dodged the blow at the last second, while the second Arab succeeded in stabbing one of the other Jews in the hip.

The Jews scattered in an attempt to flee the Arab terrorists, who were later apprehended by police.