2021 Jerusalem shooting

2021 Jerusalem shooting
Part of the Gaza-Israel conflict
Video released by Israeli police
LocationJerusalem
Date21 November 2021 (2 years ago)
WeaponCarlo-type submachine gun[1]
Deaths1 victim, 1 perpetrator
Injured4 victims
PerpetratorFadi Abu Shkhaydam
MotivePalestinian nationalism[2]

On 21 November 2021, a shooting took place in the Old City of Jerusalem. Fadi Abu Shkhaydem, a 42-year-old Palestinian from East Jerusalem[3] killed a 26 year old Israeli,[4] who had made aliyah from South Africa in 2019.[5][6] He injured four others (including a rabbi)[3] before being shot dead by police.[7]

The shooting started as the targets were making their way to prayer.[8] Israeli authorities recorded that Abu Shkhaydem shot the tour guide multiple times,[9] and was later pronounced dead at the Hadassah Medical Center in Ein Kerem. The gunman also wounded a rabbi and seriously injured a yeshiva student. Policemen quickly responded by firing at the shooter, killing him. Two of the police officers sustained mild injuries.[3][8]

Perpetrator

The gunman, Fadi Abu Shkhaydem, was a high school teacher at the Rashidiya school[10] from the Shuafat neighbourhood of Jerusalem.[11][12] He was widely known to be a Hamas member and regularly preached sermons at the Temple Mount, in addition to taking part in demonstrations against Israeli tourism in the area.[10]

His wife, who had gone to Jordan three days before to visit her sick mother,[13] was arrested the next day at Allenby Bridge.[14] A police report said he that was most likely politically motivated by "nationalist reasons".[15] In January 2022 the Abu Shkhaydem's house was given a demolition order as part of a general Israeli policy.[16]

Aftermath

The Temple Mount was closed to visitors immediately following the shooting attack. Later that day, Hamas confirmed that the attacker was a member of their group and hailed the attack as a "heroic operation". This was the second attack in Jerusalem's Old City in four days, and the first Israeli civilian casualty since the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis.[17][18]

Many Israeli authorities and organizations condemned the attack, including Isaac Herzog, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, and Naftali Bennett.[19]

The following day, France and the United States Department of State both released a condemnation of the shooting.[20] Dimiter Tzantchev also condemned the attack as "senseless".[12]

References

  1. ^ "Jerusalem: Shooting near holy site leaves 1 dead". Deutsche Welle.
  2. ^ Amir Tal, Abeer Salman, Mike Schwartz, Ibrahim Dahman and Shira Gemer (21 November 2021). "Hamas gunman kills one Israeli, injures four others, in Jerusalem attack; police shoot dead assailant". CNN.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b c "Rabbi injured in Jerusalem shooting attack hails 'miracle' from hospital bed". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  4. ^ Kingsley, Patrick; Noveck, Myra (21 November 2021). "Israeli Is Killed by Palestinian Near Holiest Site in Jerusalem". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  5. ^ Maltz, Judy; Rabinowitz, Aaron; Hasson, Nir (21 November 2021). "South African Immigrant, 25, Is Victim in Jerusalem Shooting Attack". Haaretz. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Thousands of mourners gather for funeral of terror victim Eli Kay". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  7. ^ Zion, Ilan Ben (21 November 2021). "Hamas gunman kills 1 before Israeli police shoot him dead". AP NEWS. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  8. ^ a b McCain, Nicole (22 November 2021). "'He treated everyone with love and respect' - fiancée of SA-born man killed in Jerusalem attack". News24. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  9. ^ Kingsley, Patrick; Noveck, Myra (21 November 2021). "Israeli Is Killed by Palestinian Near Holiest Site in Jerusalem". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  10. ^ a b Toameh, Khaled Abu (21 November 2021). "Who was the Islamic 'scholar' who carried out the Jerusalem attack?". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  11. ^ Stoll, Ira (23 November 2021). "New York Times Issues a Triple Correction to Article on Deadly Jerusalem Attack". The Algemeiner. Archived from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Shooting at holy site in Jerusalem kills one and injures four". ABC News. 21 November 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  13. ^ Boxerman, Aaron (22 November 2021). "Israel arrests wife of gunman in deadly Jerusalem terror attack". Times of Israel. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Wife of Old City shooter arrested at Jordanian border". The Jerusalem Post. 22 November 2021. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  15. ^ Tal, Amir; Salman, Abeer; Schwartz, Mike; Dahman, Ibrahim; Gemer, Shira (21 November 2021). "Hamas gunman kills one Israeli, injures four others, in Jerusalem attack; police shoot dead assailant". CNN. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  16. ^ Ahronheim, Anna (3 January 2022). "IDF issues demolition order for home of Jerusalem terrorist". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  17. ^ Gross, Judah Ari; Boxerman, Aaron (21 November 2021). "Hamas gunman kills 1, wounds 4 in terror shooting in Jerusalem Old City". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  18. ^ Cheeseman, Abbie (21 November 2022). "Hamas operative kills civilian in sub machine-gun terror attack in Jerusalem's Old City". The Telegraph. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  19. ^ "Jerusalem attack victim identified as Eliyahu David Kay". Ynetnews. 21 November 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  20. ^ "US State Department condemns Jerusalem terror attack". The Jerusalem Post. 22 November 2021. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.