18-year-old American tourist shot and killed in West Bank
By Mark Ellis, Special to ASSIST News Service
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (ANS - November 19, 2015)
-- A Palestinian terrorist killed an American tourist and two others on
Thursday afternoon, November 19th, by shooting at vehicles caught in a
traffic jam in the West Bank.
The
American was identified as Ezra Schwartz, of Sharon, Mass., a yeshiva
student in Beit Shemesh near Jerusalem. He was delivering food to
Israeli soldiers patrolling the area at the time of the attack,
according to The New York Post.
Seven
others were lightly wounded in the attack, including two Israeli women
and five American yeshiva students. They were all evacuated to the
Sha’are Tzedek Medical Center. The five Americans are due to be
released, while the two Israeli women will remain hospitalized, The
Jerusalem Post reported.
U.S. officials said they considered the attack an act of terrorism.
“We
condemn these terrorist attacks against innocent civilians in the
strongest possible terms,” Edgar Vasquez, a spokesperson for the State
Department, told The Jerusalem Post.
“As
we’ve made clear, we remain deeply concerned about the situation,” he
said, “and continue to urge all sides to take affirmative steps to
restore calm and prevent actions that would further escalate tensions.”
Apparently
the terrorist fired at the cars as he drove by them and was also able
to reload this gun. He then fled at high speed toward the Alon Shvut
settlement, but slammed into a car.
The
terrorist left the vehicle and tried to make further shots. Israeli
security forces shot at the terrorist and then arrested him. Video
footage from the scene show the terrorist lying on the ground as
soldiers surround him, according to the Post.
The
Israeli victim, Yaakov Don, 51, from the Alon Shvut settlement, is a
father of four children. He was evacuated from the scene and was
pronounced dead upon his arrival at the Haddassah Medical Center in Ein
Karem.
Photo captions. 1) Ezra Schwartz. 2) The bullet-riden car he was traveling in.
About the writer: Mark Ellis is senior correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, and also the founder of www.Godreports.com, a website that shares stories, testimonies and videos from the church around the world to build interest in world missions.
** You may republish this story with attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net).
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar