BICOM

A 32 year old Arab-Israeli man was attacked by a Palestinian in the central Israeli city of Petach Tikva in a suspected terror attack.

The attacker is believed to have infiltrated into Israel illegally before stabbing the victim, who was an Egged bus driver from the Israeli-Arab town of Arara.

The Shin Bet said the 21-year-old assailant, whose name has not been revealed, was from Qalqiliya and was imprisoned between 2015-2016 for unspecified terrorist activity. Police spokesman Luba Samri stated that the attack was nationalist in nature, and eyewitnesses report hearing the suspect say “I did it for al-Aqsa”.

Police said the victim was stabbed in the neck and treated at the scene by Magen David Adom paramedics. Paramedic Tom Dagan said the victim was fully conscious and sitting upright on a chair when first-responders arrived and attempted to stop the bleeding. “We provided him with lifesaving medical treatment, stopped his bleeding wounds, transported him onto an MDA mobile intensive care unit, and evacuated him to Beilinson Hospital in moderate-severe condition,” said Dagan.

The attacker attempted to escape on foot but was subsequently subdued and captured by bystanders. Maariv reports that a local pizzeria worker helped subdue him by hitting him with a wooden pizza tray.

No other injuries were reported.

The stabbing took place in the context of heightened tension around the Temple Mount after an attack killed two police officers on July 14th with weapons smuggled onto the site and Israel installed metal detectors which have been opposed by worshippers.