In the worst murderous rampage Israel has known in years, seven people were killed in a shooting attack outside a synagogue in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Neve Yaakov on Friday evening.
The 21-year-old terrorist – a resident of east Jerusalem - arrived outside the Ateret Avraham synagogue at around 8 p.m. and opened fire at people walking nearby. He then attempted to flee the scene by car and fired in the direction of Israel Police officers who fired back and killed him.
After a second terrorist attack in the City of David on Saturday morning, the IDF bolstered its forces in the West Bank with three additional battalions. In addition, since Friday night, the police had arrested over 40 suspects who were taken in for questioning to determine if the attacker had assistance.
By Saturday night, three of the victims were identified as: Eli Mizrachi, 48, his wife Natalie Mizrachi, 45, Rafael Ben-Eliyahu, 56, and Asher Natan, 14.
The security cabinet convened on Saturday night to discuss responses to the attack. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would demand the immediate sealing of the terrorist’s home, the legislation of a death penalty for terrorists and the easing of regulations so more Israelis can receive permits to carry sidearms.
One of the people who was near the synagogue on Friday night during the attack said that it took the police a long time to arrive at the scene since it initially thought that the shots that were fired were fired in the air – as often happens - in nearby east Jerusalem neighborhoods.
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