Bulldozer driven by Palestinian resident of east Jerusalem tramples over
pedestrians, cars in central Jerusalem; driver shot and killed by police
officer; four people killed, dozens injured in attack. Reports say two buses
flipped over by tractor
Efrat Weiss TNET Latest Update: 07.02.08, 13:12 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3562991,00.html

VIDEO - Four Israelis - three women and a man - were killed and at least 30
more were injured when a bulldozer driven by a Palestinian resident of east
Jerusalem trampled over pedestrians and vehicles and plowed into two buses
in downtown Jerusalem at around noon Wednesday.

Magen David Adom reported of casualties on Rashi, Jaffa and Sarei Yisrael
streets.

The driver, who reportedly had a criminal record and was the holder of an
Israeli (blue) identification card, was shot and killed by a SWAT officer
near the old Shaare Zedek Medical Center. The terrorists was said to be
30-years-old.

A state of emergency was declared in the city following the attack.

Jerusalem Police Chief Aharon Franco told Channel 2 "a tractor driven by a
terrorist began hitting vehicles and flipped over two buses. Apparently
there are casualties at the scene; we don't have an exact number as of yet.
We received no prior warning of a possible attack."

Egged official Yossi Klachkes told Yet, "Two of our buses -lines 13 and 60 -
were rammed by the bulldozer as they were traveling toward the Mahaneh
Yehuda Market. The line 13 bus was carrying 35 passengers and the other bus
had 15 people on board. The drives and some passengers were inured of
suffered from shock and were evacuated to hospitals."

Zion Shetreet, who witnessed the attack, told Ynet that the "tractor turned
into the road very suddenly and started trampling over the cars standing in
the stoplight. I started yelling for people to shoot him. I saw a security
officer running out of a nearby building and aiming an Uzi at him.

"The tractor was heading in the direction the Mahaneh Yehuda Market," he
added. "This is something you only see in the movies. It was awful."

According to Abraham Scheinberg, a ZAKA volunteer, the bulldozer was being
used in the construction of Jerusalem light tram.

Following the attack, police announced they would be increasing deployment
across Israel, focusing on crowded places, checkpoints and crossings.

According to an assessment by the Gaza Strip organizations, as well as by
sources in the Palestinian Authority, the Jerusalem attack was an
independent act carried out by the driver alone; However, a Hamas spokesman
said Wednesday that the Jerusalem attack was "a natural reaction to Israel's
aggression," adding the group did not know who was behind the attack.

Several emergency hotlines have been set following the attack:
Shaare Zedek Medical Center can be reached at 1255125. Those heavy of
hearing can fax to 972-2-6522950.
The Jerusalem Municipality's hotline will offer Information about the people
injured at the city dispatch (106) or at 972-2-5314600/1/2/3/4.
The Immigrant Absorption Ministry opened another hotline, offering
assistance in several languages other than Hebrew. Those who wish to find
out more about the attack can contact 1255021010.

Meital Yasur-Beit Or, Roi Mandel, Ali waked and Ronen Medzini contributed to
this report

First Published: 07.02.08, 12:11