Two Arabs attacked Jewish boys in Jerusalem on Saturday night, as the Jews made their way to the Western Wall for prayers, Kikar Hashabbat reported.
In the attack, which according to the victims occurred near Dung Gate, the attackers hit one of the Jews on the head with brass knuckles and with a rock until the victim collapsed and fainted, and they attacked the victim's friend with pepper spray.
The attack occurred on Tisha B'av, when the Jewish People mourn the destruction of the two Holy Temples, at around midnight between Saturday and Sunday as three yeshiva students made their way to Dung Gate. On their way, the three passed two Arabs who were standing at the entrance to one of the homes.
According to them, Y., 24, was walking in the rear. When he passed the Arabs, one of them banged on a garbage can in order to shock him, and immediately afterwards jumped on him with brass knuckles and forcefully and brutally hit his face, near the jaw.
According to the victims, the second Arab then joined in, grabbing a stone and using it to hit Y.'s head. As a result of the attack, Y. fainted and lost consciousness. Y.'s friends immediately jumped to help him, calling to Border Police officers standing at the entrance to Dung Gate.
The two attackers, meanwhile, escaped into a home, and when the officers followed them in, they discovered that the attackers were no longer inside. Y. was evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, where he received stitches to his face and head, and he was released towards morning and will require follow-up care.
The Honenu organization is aiding the victims and will soon turn to the police requesting that the attackers be arrested.
According to Honenu attorney Haim Bleicher, "This is yet another serious incident of a severe, violent, and anti-Semitic attack against Jews, [perpetrated] by lowly terrorists who rule the streets of the city of Jerusalem through terror and fear. All of this is just a stone's throw away from a Border Police post. In recent days, the number of attacks at this location have begun to increase, and it seems that this is a worrying trend which must be dealt with determinedly."
Israel Police are investigating the incident and expect the victims to file complaints against their attackers.