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AmbulanceEliran Aharon

“You have to fight to save civilians and your own life,” said 'N,' the policeman who neutralized the terrorist in the Old City of Jerusalem on Saturday.

During the attack, N, 37, suffered moderate wounds to his upper body inflicted by the stabbings of the terrorist, and as a result of his determined struggle with the terrorist as he tried to neutralize him..

The Police Commander of the Jerusalem District Yoram Halevi, who visited N at Jerusalem’s Shaarei Tzedek hospital, where N was taken following the attack, told N, “We are very proud of you, what you did and how you reacted. In the end we save lives, save civilians. You knew how to react correctly, you were in the right place at the right time. I am personally proud of you, as are your commanders and all of us in Jerusalem. We know exactly what happened there, we saw everything and your reaction was excellent, professional, correct, and sure.”

N answered, “You have no other choice, you have to fight to save civilians and your own life. I tried to do everything for my family.”

Police investigation shows that the terrorist, 57-year-old Jordanian national Muhammed Abdullah Salim al-Kasaji, arrived in Israel several days ago on a tourist visa. On Saturday afternoon, he was walking in the Old City when he saw a policeman coming towards him. He charged the policeman, stabbing him a number of times with a knife. Despite his wounds, the policeman managed to load his gun and neutralize the terrorist.

Israel Police also arrested a street vendor who had watched the stabbing attack but did not provide aid to the policeman - and even attempted to prevent other civilians at the scene from helping him.

The street vendor, who is in his forties, was brought in for interrogation by police.

Police say that this is the fifth terror attack in Jerusalem’s Old City over the past month during which the attacker was neutralized.