A young British woman was stabbed to death by a Palestinian man in Jerusalem last Friday just three months after she began a Bible studies course in the city.
Hannah Bladon, aged 20, was killed on a tram near Jerusalem’s Old City by a disturbed Palestinian man who attacked her at random with a kitchen knife, Israeli authorities said.
Ms Bladon was a religious studies undergraduate at the University of Birmingham who arrived in Jerusalem in January as part of an exchange programme with The Hebrew University.
Shortly after starting her studies she reassured friends on Facebook that she was safe in Jerusalem.
Israel’s security services named the killer as Jameel Tamimi, a 57-year-old Palestinian who was returning to his home in east Jerusalem from a psychiatric facility in northern Israel.
Ms Bladon was standing next to him as the tram passed the walls of the Old City at around 1pm on Friday, filled with people celebrating Easter and Passover.
Police said that the assailant, a resident of East Jerusalem, was subdued and arrested on the scene, without the use of gunfire. Medics from the Magen David Adom ambulance service carried out CPR on the victim at the scene before taking her to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus for treatment.
Ms Bladon was brought to the hospital in critical condition, with multiple stab wounds to the upper body. She died of her wounds shortly after arriving to the hospital, a spokesperson from the hospital said.
Prime Minister Theresa May paid tribute to Ms Bladon at PMQs on Wednesday: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Hannah Bladon, who was murdered in Jerusalem last week”.
Minister for the Middle East, Rt. Hon. Tobias Ellwood MP said: “Deeply saddened by the tragic death of a UK national in Jerusalem. I send my condolences to the victim’s family and friends”.
Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin condemned the attack and sent his condolences: “Our thoughts are with the family of the victim & the injured of the terror attack in Jerusalem. Terror can never overcome us”.
Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, H.E. Mark Regev, said: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of UK student Hannah Bladon, who was murdered in a senseless act of terror in Jerusalem today”.
The UK’s Ambassador to Israel, H.E. David Quarrey said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the young British national who died in such sad and tragic circumstances in Jerusalem today”.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We can confirm the tragic death of a British national in Jerusalem. We are providing support to her family at this difficult time and are in touch with local authorities”.
In a statement, the University of Birmingham said: “We are deeply saddened to hear about the death of our student Hannah Bladon who was killed whilst on an exchange programme in Jerusalem. Our thoughts are with her family and friends during this tragic time and we will be providing support for any student affected by this terrible event”.
Derby County football club, who Ms Bladon supported, held a minute of silence in honour of her, at their match with Huddersfield Town.
CFI Parliamentary Chairman, Rt. Hon. Sir Eric Pickles MP, CFI Honorary President Lord Polak CBE, and CFI Executive Director James Gurd said: “The horrific attack in Jerusalem today is a painful reminder of the threat terrorism poses to us all. Our thoughts are with the family of the young British woman at this difficult time”.
