Arab Militant Murders 86-Year-Old Jew In Jerusalem

Jerusalem – On Thursday morning, Mohammad Elmadan, 21, a Palestinian militant from a small village near Bethlehem, stabbed and killed Avraham Ozeri, an 86-year-old Israeli Jew, at the entrance to the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo.

He was stopped for a routine inspection by a pair of Israeli police officers, a man and a woman, when he suddenly pulled out a large knife and attacked the male officer, identified as Lt. Daniel Motza.

As he tried to escape the scene, Mr. Elmadan stopped long enough to plunge his knife into Mr. Ozeri’s chest. He had been waiting for a nearby bus.

Emergency resuscitation efforts by ambulance crews failed.

Despite his wounds, Lt. Motza managed to shoot the attacker several times. Another passer-by then overpowered the injured terrorist.

Both the militant and the wounded officer were taken to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in moderate-to-serious condition.

In the past, Mr. Elmadan was twice expelled from Jerusalem after entering the city illegally and he was involved in several disturbances outside the capital, security officials said.

An Israel Defense Forces soldier was lightly wounded and eight Palestinians were hurt Thursday afternoon during clashes at the Elmadan home.

The soldiers entered Mr. Elmadan’s village to arrest suspects in connection with the attack and were confronted by some 125 rioting Palestinians.

Among the detainees were the terrorist’s sister and her husband.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

©The Bulletin 2008