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Two Killed, Two Wounded in Holon Terror Attack
Illustrative: The knife used in a stabbing attack in Jerusalem’s Old City, March 6, 2022. Photo: Israeli Police
JNS.org – A 66-year-old woman and an 80-year-old man were killed and two other people wounded in a terrorist stabbing in Holon in central Israel on Sunday morning.
The woman, identified as Rina Daniv, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the man succumbed to his wounds after being transported to the city’s Wolfson Medical Center along with the other victims, one of whom was identified as Rina Daniv’s husband, Shimon, 69.
The stabbings occurred at two locations in the city, and the assailant was shot dead by a police officer.
Police have not ruled out the possibility that another terrorist may have fled the scene.
Shimon Daniv, in serious condition, and a 26-year-old man, Ya’akov Levertov, in moderate condition were treated on the scene and then evacuated to Wolfson Medical Center, according to Magen David Adom spokesperson Zaki Heller.
The terrorist was identified as Amar Razak Kamel Odeh, 35, from the Arab city of Salfit in Samaria. He did not have an Israeli residence permit. He was pronounced dead at Shamir Medical Center (formerly Assaf Harofeh Medical Center) in Be’er Ya’akov.
The stabbings occurred at a gas station on Moshe Dayan Street and at a nearby street, Channel 12 reported. According to MDA, the attacks occurred at three separate locations, around 500 meters apart.
“The terrorist went on a killing spree. The police are working to rule out the presence of another terrorist and accomplices,” Israel Police spokesman Eli Levy told Channel 12. “We are in the first minutes after the attack. It is important for me to emphasize that we have not ruled out the possibility that there are additional terrorists in the area, we are conducting many scans.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived at the scene, saying that “our war is not only against Iran, but also here in the streets.” He praised the quick police reaction to the attack, and called on Israeli citizens to arm themselves. “It saves lives,” he said.
At the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to “settle accounts” with any possible accomplices of the terrorist.
“This morning a murderous terrorist attack was carried out in Holon. I send my condolences to the families of the murdered and best wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured. I praise the police who tried to contact and eliminate the terrorist. We will settle accounts with everyone who cooperated with him,” he said, according to Ynet.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said that the nation was mourning the victims and praying for the wounded.
“Our enemies attack us again and again with hatred-filled terror,” said Herzog, adding that the “only sin” of the victims “was that they wanted to live as a free people in their own country.
“I strengthen the hands of the IDF and the security forces in their fight to eradicate terrorism. We will continue to stand against terrorism—from near and far, we will not give in, we will not slacken for a moment in our determination, and we will continue to believe in the righteousness of the way and act in the light,” he said.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich tweeted: “We must remember again and again, as on this difficult morning, that our war is against human monsters who are capable of murdering old men and women who were just walking down the street, a war of absolute evil and cruelty against absolute good. And the good must win and destroy the bad, without stopping for one minute. And so it will be. Condolences to the victims’ families and a full recovery to the wounded.”
National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz tweeted: “A difficult morning. I would like to send my heartfelt condolences to the families of [those] murdered in the attack in Holon, to pray for the recovery of all the wounded and to strengthen the members of the security forces and our soldiers who operate at all borders and beyond them—to prevent terrorism and to strike at its perpetrators and their agents.”
Levertov described the incident to Ynet, saying that he saw the terrorist when he was walking his dog and was stabbed in the shoulder and stomach.
“He came out of an open area in my direction while walking, he just walked with an angry face. He looked at me. We got closer, because we were walking in opposite directions, and suddenly he ran in my direction and grabbed me. I felt that he hit my shoulder. I managed to escape from him together with my dog and arrived at the central station of Egged [the bus company], in the parking lot. I put my hand back. The drivers helped me. I sat down on the bench and they continued the treatment,” he said.
He continued, “I was on the phone with the police, already when I started running away I called the police. After I sat down, the drivers took the phone and I spoke to the police and MDA, to direct the forces in my direction. In the process I understand that I am not the only victim because there were large forces that reached the intersection,” he continued.
“At first I thought it was something personal, he was completely silent and didn’t speak. He just came and grabbed me. I didn’t hear any yelling afterwards either. He was alone and I was alone with my dog, that’s it. After he hit me I ran away and never saw him again. Only in retrospect did I realize it was a terrorist attack.”
The post Two Killed, Two Wounded in Holon Terror Attack first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Obituary: Elexis Schloss, 78, an Edmonton entrepreneur and philanthropist who also performed quiet acts of kindness
Elexis (Conn) Schloss, a vibrant entrepreneur and philanthropist who supported a wide array of causes, both in and beyond Edmonton, died in Victoria on Oct. 31. She was 78. Her […]
The post Obituary: Elexis Schloss, 78, an Edmonton entrepreneur and philanthropist who also performed quiet acts of kindness appeared first on The Canadian Jewish News.
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Saudi Arabia Ups Anti-Israel Rhetoric Amid Iran Rapprochement, Raising Questions About Abraham Accords Expansion
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a virtual cabinet meeting from his office in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 28, 2024. Photo: Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler accused the Israeli military of committing “collective genocide” in Gaza while also pressing Israel to respect Iranian sovereignty, amid reports that Tehran has postponed its planned attack on the Jewish state.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s remarks, made in Riyadh on Monday during a summit of leaders of Islamic nations, underscored the evolving rapprochement between the erstwhile archenemies Iran and Saudi Arabia.
The crown prince, also known by his initials MBS, urged the international community to demand that Israel “respect the sovereignty of the sisterly Islamic Republic of Iran and not to violate its lands.”
The two regional heavyweights restored relations last year after decades of animosity.
MBS’s anti-Israel rhetoric came days after Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election. For Israel, the statement from Riyadh may signal a setback to the normalization process with Saudi Arabia, a long-sought goal within the framework of the Abraham Accords, brokered by Trump during his first term in the White House, that has seen Israel establish formal ties with several Arab states in recent years.
According to a Sky News Arabia report published two days later and citing Iranian officials, Tehran has shelved a planned third direct strike on Israel, with the delay attributed to possible forthcoming diplomatic talks with Trump. Israel Hayom published a similar report the following day, citing officials in Jerusalem familiar with the matter.
Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref expressed his hope that the incoming Trump administration would put a stop to Israel’s campaigns against its terrorist proxies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“The American government is the main supporter of the actions of the Zionist regime [Israel], and the world is waiting for the promise of the new government of this country to immediately stop the war against the innocent people of Gaza and Lebanon,” Aref said at Monday’s gathering.
Observers noted that Saudi Arabia’s shift could stem from both domestic and regional considerations. For the kingdom, improving relations with Iran is a strategic move to de-escalate conflicts in Yemen, where both countries have backed opposing sides. By opening diplomatic channels with Iran, Saudi Arabia also aims to reduce its dependence on Western security guarantees amid growing regional autonomy. According to Dr. Eyal Pinko, a Middle East expert who served in Israeli intelligence for more than three decades, Saudi Arabia is also under pressure from France, a major arms supplier, to maintain a moderate stance and promote regional peace.
“Saudi Arabia understands [it] cannot rely on the Americans” for arms, Pinko told The Algemeiner.
For its part, Iran may be seeking closer ties with the Gulf kingdom as a result of recent Israeli operations that have decimated the senior leadership of Hezbollah, Iran’s most influential proxy in the Arab world that has long served as a strategic partner.
“Iran is spreading its bets all around, not to be on one side or another,” Pinko said.
Hezbollah, along with Hamas in Gaza, had in the past been blacklisted as terrorist groups by Riyadh.
The New York Times last month cited a Saudi tycoon with ties to the monarchy as saying that the war in Gaza has “set back any Israeli integration into the region.”
“Saudi Arabia sees that any association with Israel has become more toxic since Gaza,” Ali Shihabi told the newspaper.
In another blow for Saudi-Israel relations, Riyadh announced it would revoke the license of the Saudi news broadcaster, MBC, after it labeled the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar a terrorist.
But according to Pinko, the chance of Saudi-Israel normalization is not entirely lost, pending a ceasefire.
“If nothing extreme happens with Iran until Jan. 20 [when Trump takes office], I believe that the Abraham Accords will come back to the table,” he said.
The post Saudi Arabia Ups Anti-Israel Rhetoric Amid Iran Rapprochement, Raising Questions About Abraham Accords Expansion first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Germany Opposes EU Foreign Policy Chief’s Proposal to Suspend Dialogue With Israel
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during a session of the lower house of parliament Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 10, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Thursday publicly rejected a proposal by the European Union’s foreign policy chief to suspend regular political dialogue with Israel in response to the Jewish state’s ongoing military campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza.
“We are always in favor of keeping channels of dialogue open. Of course, this also applies to Israel,” the German Foreign Office said of top EU official Josep Borrell’s plans, according to the German news agency dpa.
The Foreign Office added that, while the political conversations under the EU-Israel Association Council provide a regular opportunity to strengthen relations and, in recent months, discuss the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza, severing that mechanism would be counterproductive.
“Breaking off dialogue, however, will not help anyone, neither the suffering people in Gaza, nor the hostages who are still being held by Hamas, nor all those in Israel who are committed to dialogue,” the statement continued.
Borrell on Wednesday proposed the suspension of dialogue in a letter to EU foreign ministers ahead of their meeting this coming Monday in Brussels, citing “serious concerns about possible breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza.” He also wrote, “Thus far, these concerns have not been sufficiently addressed by Israel.”
The regular dialogues that Borrell is seeking to break off were enshrined in a broader agreement on relations between the EU and Israel, including extensive trade ties, that was implemented in 2000.
“In light of the above considerations, I will be tabling a proposal that the EU should invoke the human rights clause to suspend the political dialogue with Israel,” Borrell wrote.
A suspension would need the approval of all 27 EU countries, an unlikely outcome. According to Reuters, multiple countries objected when a senior EU official briefed ambassadors in Brussels on the proposal on Wednesday.
While some EU countries, such as Spain and Ireland, have been fiercely critical of Israel since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, others such as the Czech Republic and Hungary have been more supportive.
Hamas, which rules Gaza, launched the ongoing conflict with its invasion of southern Israel last Oct. 7. During the onslaught, Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists murdered 1,200 people, wounded thousands more, and kidnapped over 250 hostages while perpetrating mass sexual violence and other atrocities.
Israel responded with a military campaign aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities in neighboring Gaza.
Israel says it has gone to unprecedented lengths to try and avoid civilian casualties, noting its efforts to evacuate areas before it targets them and to warn residents of impending military operations with leaflets, text messages, and other forms of communication. However, Hamas has in many cases prevented people from leaving, according to the Israeli military.
Another challenge for Israel is Hamas’s widely recognized military strategy of embedding its terrorists within Gaza’s civilian population and commandeering civilian facilities like hospitals, schools, and mosques to run operations, direct attacks, and store weapons.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said last month that Israel has delivered over 1 million tons of aid, including 700,000 tons of food, to Gaza since it launched its military operation a year ago. He also noted that Hamas terrorists often hijack and steal aid shipments while fellow Palestinians suffer.
The Israeli government has ramped up the supply of humanitarian aid into Gaza in recent weeks under pressure from the United States, which has expressed concern about the plight of civilians in the war-torn enclave.
Meanwhile, Borrell has been one of the EU’s most outspoken critics of Israel over the past year. Just six weeks after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks, he drew a moral equivalence between Israel and Hamas while speaking to the European Parliament, accusing both of having carried out “massacres” while insisting that it is possible to criticize Israeli actions “without being accused of not liking the Jews.”
Borrell’s speech followed a visit to the Middle East the prior week. While in Israel, he delivered what the Spanish daily El Pais described as the “most critical message heard so far from a representative of the European Union regarding Israel’s response to the Hamas attack of Oct. 7.”
“Not far from here is Gaza. One horror does not justify another,” Borrell said at a joint press conference alongside then-Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. “I understand your rage. But let me ask you not to let yourself be consumed by rage. I think that is what the best friends of Israel can tell you, because what makes the difference between a civilized society and a terrorist group is the respect for human life. All human lives have the same value.”
Months later, in March of this year, Borrell claimed that Israel was imposing a famine on Palestinian civilians in Gaza and using starvation as a weapon of war. His comments came a few months before the United Nations Famine Review Committee (FRC), a panel of experts in international food security and nutrition, rejected the assertion that northern Gaza was experiencing famine, citing a lack of evidence. Borrell’s comments prompted outrage from Israel.
In August, Borrell pushed EU member states to impose sanctions on some Israeli ministers.
Monday’s meeting in Brussels will be the last that Borrell will chair before ending his five-year term as the EU’s foreign policy chief.
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