Following a number of recent violent attacks against Israelis, an Israeli teenager attacked and wounded three Palestinian men and a Bedouin Arab in the southern town of Dimona this morning.
The attacker, who is thought to have a criminal background and a history of psychiatric issues, was restrained by Israeli police.
The mayor of Dimona, Benny Biton, called on residents to “exercise restraint” and expressed sorrow about the attack, where three of the victims are believed to be municipal employees.
Israeli paramedics treated the victims at the scene and took them for further medical treatment at a hospital. In a statement, they said that “one was in moderate but stable condition; the other two were only lightly injured”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack in a statement released by his office: “Israel is a nation of law and order. We will bring to justice anyone who engages in violence and breaks the law”.
The latest surge of violence has seen over 20 Israelis injured in stabbing attacks over the last week, following the murder of two Israeli men in Jerusalem and an Israeli couple in front of their four children in the West Bank.
Seven Palestinians have been killed, including four while they carried out terror attacks on Israelis.
On Thursday, members of far-right Jewish extremist groups staged anti-Arab protests in several Israeli cities. Over 200 Arabs took part in a protest in Nazareth which turned violent, with protesters throwing stones at police and setting fire to tyres and rubbish cans.
Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement, said yesterday that his organisation has “a package of plans ready to be unleashed immediately”. He referred to tensions at the Temple Mount, stating that “to die for al-Aqsa is a great honour”. Salah has previously been arrested for inciting violence against Israelis.
