The scene of the attack at the Damascus Gate
The scene of the attack at the Damascus GateYonatan Sindel/Flash90

The Jerusalem District Court sentenced Nadir Dar Ahmad from I'bwin, north of Ramallah, to 20 years in prison, conditional imprisonment, and monetary compensation for attempting to murder a Border Police officer a year and a half ago through nationalistic and idealistic motives at a security checkpoint at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City.

According to the indictment, the terrorist entered Israeli territory without a residence permit, arrived at the Damascus Gate, sat on the stairs for about half an hour, and after that, as he raised the suspicions of the officers at the site, began to climb the stairs toward the Sultan Suliman Street near the police post.

At that point, the officers began to question him and asked him to show an identification card. After trying to dodge the officers' questions and saying he did not have an ID card, the officers ordered him to enter the police post for a thorough investigation.

In the post, he removed his backpack, walked a few steps into the post, quickly drew a knife, and attempted to stab one of the officers, who, in response, pushed him back using his hand.

Another officer rushed toward the terrorist, and the two began to brawl as the terrorist continuously attempted to stab the officer until he did indeed manage to stab him in the neck.

Other officers in the post shot at the terrorist. Even after he was shot, he continued trying to stab the officer until he was neutralized. As a result of the stabbing, the officer was brought to the hospital in moderate condition.

The terrorist was taken to the hospital in severe condition. The indictment attributes to the terrorist two counts of acts of homicidal terror, possession of a knife, causing severe harm, and entering Israel against the law.