Scene of Jerusalem stabbing attack
Scene of Jerusalem stabbing attackYonatan Sindel/Flash90

The victim of a stabbing attack in Jerusalem last month is no longer in mortal danger, hospital officials say, after narrowly surviving a knife attack in front of the city’s Central Bus Station.

On December 10th, a 24-year-old terrorist from the Palestinian Authority who had been illegally residing in Jerusalem stabbed 46-year-old Asher Elmaliach in front of the Central Bus Station on Jaffa Street.

The terrorist, Yassin Abu Al-Keraa, drew his knife at the entrance to the bus station and stabbed Elmaliach, a security guard, in the chest before fleeing the scene. Al-Keraa was subdued by a second security guard shortly thereafter, and turned over to police.

Elmaliach, who suffered a stab wound to the heart, was immediately evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Center. Hospital staff say the guard suffered a wound so severe, he would almost certainly have perished if he had reached the hospital any later.

“Had he come in two minutes later there would have been nothing we could do,” hospital staff said Monday. “That’s all that separated life from death.”

Doctors called Elmaliach’s survival following his brush with death a “Hanukkah miracle”.

While he remained in serious condition, on December 24th, Shaare Zedek announced that Elmaliach was stabilizing.

On Tuesday, hospital officials reported that Elmaliach’s condition had improved significantly over the last two weeks, and that his life was no longer in any danger.

Shaare Zedek officials added that Elmaliach is now able to breathe on his own and is conscious and able to communicate with hospital staff.