On Tuesday, a terrorist disguised as a security guard carried out a shooting attack at Israelis outside a mall in the Judean community of Maale Adumim, near Jerusalem. The attacker, identified as 20-year-old Mahand Almazareh, had been working as a janitor at the municipal community center in the settlement and possessed a permit to work there.
The shooting resulted in six people being injured, and they were promptly taken to Hadassah Mount Scopus and Shaare Zedek hospitals for treatment. Among the wounded, a 41-year-old man suffered serious injuries after being shot in the upper body, while the others were in stable and moderate condition. The attacker initially opened fire on a restaurant at a commercial center before chasing after pedestrians and shooting some of them. He then sought refuge in nearby vegetation near a bus stop, where an exchange of fire with security forces led to his eventual neutralization.
A Palestinian terrorist opened fire on innocent Israelis outside a shopping center in the town of Ma’ale Adumim. Six people were injured before the terrorist was neutralized by a brave border patrol officer. My heart goes out to the victims and I wish them speedy recoveries.… pic.twitter.com/XSLsoVTYRt
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) August 1, 2023
The heroic figure who stopped the terrorist was an off-duty Border Patrol Police officer, who happened to be at a nearby barbershop when he heard the commotion. Reacting swiftly, he pulled out his personal pistol and rushed to the scene. In a conversation with Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai at the attack site, the officer recounted, "I heard shouts and saw people start running. I pulled out a gun and went to the intersection. I looked to the right and saw a guy with a glowing vest holding a weapon in his hand. I wasn't sure it was the terrorist. I loaded the gun and yelled at him to stop. He didn't stop and started shooting."
West Bank's Ma'ale Adumim terror attack leaves the community in shock
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) August 1, 2023
'You feel fear, but you can't think about it. All you think about is finding the terrorist... Our actions are very instinctive. We do what we are trained to do,' says the off-duty officer who neutralized… pic.twitter.com/3ydZ4aapih
Among the injured was Moshe Turgeman, a barber working in Ma'ale Adumim. From his hospital bed at Hadassah Mount Scopus, he described the terrifying moments of the attack. He and his client, the Border Patrol officer, were in the middle of a haircut when the shooting began. Reacting to the chaos, they joined others in fleeing from the scene. However, they unwittingly passed by the terrorist, who was wearing a conspicuous vest. Turgeman shared, "We did not attach importance to it and passed him. People shouted at us from the windows: 'It's him.' We ran back down. He shot me and managed to hit me in the hand, and another guy who was near me was hit in the leg. The heroic Border Patrol officer just eliminated him in a few seconds. We were saved by a miracle. I wish a speedy recovery to all the injured."
The incident served as a tragic reminder of the ongoing security challenges faced by Israelis, with terrorists exploiting various means to carry out their attacks. Despite the harrowing events, the swift response of the off-duty officer exemplified the determination and courage of those who put their lives on the line to protect innocent civilians.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
— Jay Engelmayer (@jengelmayer) August 1, 2023
BREAKING NOW: According to Israeli media, a terrorist dresses as a security guard shot four people in the Judean community of Ma’ale Adumim.
No word on the condition of the victims, the terrorist appears to have been neutralized.@FranceskAlbs - why is… pic.twitter.com/J52ZRSACWG
The shooting also sparked a debate in Israel over issuing work permits to Palestinians. Considering the most recent attacks have come at the hands of Palestinians legally allowed into Israel, there are many inside the coalition who are arguing that a more strict screening process should be enforced, perhaps even scaling back the work visa program for Palestinians, many of whom rely on Israel to earn a living. Tens of thousands of Palestinians work in Israel each day, making more than they could in Palestine, and while most are peaceful, the handful of those who are not have put the program under a microscope. Canceling the visa work program could further devastate the Palestinian economy, one that has been mismanaged by the PLO leadership.
