Lone-Wolf Attacks Continue in Occupied Jerusalem as Israeli Premier Suspends Controversial Bus Ban

Strategic Insights -

Recent attacks on Israeli police officers have raised concerns about the escalation of lone-wolf attacks by Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank. In a separate development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suspended a ban on Palestinians riding buses used by Israeli settlers, a move that sparked widespread criticism from rights groups and opposition parties. The ban, which was approved by Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon, was met with opposition from military officials, who argued that separating Palestinians and Jews on public transport would increase the risk of attacks.

Key Takeaways:

  • Two Israeli policewomen were injured in a car-ramming attack in annexed east Jerusalem, with the driver, a 41-year-old Palestinian named Imran Abu Dheim, being shot dead by a border policeman.
  • The attack marked the latest in a string of lone-wolf attacks by Palestinians using cars to ram pedestrians or police, a trend that began in occupied Jerusalem in October and has also spread to the occupied West Bank.
  • Imran Abu Dheim's relatives described him as a quiet man with five adult children and said the incident was an accident.
  • Netanyahu's suspension of the bus ban was welcomed by Yesh Din, an Israeli rights group that has been critical of the measure, which they described as a "despicable practice of ethnic separation on public transportation."
  • Official figures show that there are 52,000 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank with a permit to work in Israel, while an additional 40,000 work illegally inside the country.

Statistics:

  • 52,000 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank have a permit to work in Israel, according to official figures provided by COGAT.
  • An additional 40,000 Palestinians work illegally inside Israel, as recently published World Bank figures indicate.
  • The two policewomen injured in the car-ramming attack are currently being treated at different hospitals in the city.

Sources:

  • "Occupied Jerusalem: Two Israeli policewomen were injured in annexed east Jerusalem on Wednesday when they were hit by a car driven by a Palestinian who was then shot dead, police said." (AFP)
  • "Palestinian commuters will still be able to catch buses in the morning, but they will have to switch to separate Palestinian-only buses when they return from work." (Channel 2 News)
  • Muscat Press and Publishing House SAOC 2015 (Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info))