An Arab practitioner of violent extremism attacked an Israeli Jew in Jerusalem on Sunday. The practitioner was wielding a knife; the attack took place at Tzahal Square in central Jerusalem. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and his security detail happened to be on the spot and swung into action. A bodyguard pulled his gun and the mayor tackled the terrorist.
The Jerusalem Post reports the story here. As the Mall of America reportedly “tightens security” in our back yard, it is probably too much to hope that local authorities will take a lesson or two from this “teachable moment.”
Avraham Goldschmidt is the Israeli Jew whom the terrorist originally targeted. He was saved in part by his tefillin (equipment for prayer). Israel National News quotes him: “I hit him with my tefillin bag. He stepped back, I hit him again. I went into the road and maintained eye contact with him. I shouted out that if anyone has a weapon, they should neutralize him. With great help of God, mayor Nir Barkat was there with his bodyguard. They were very cool and collected. They understood that this was a terrorist. The bodyguard pointed his gun at the terrorist and he dropped his knife. Then the guard and Barkat tackled him.”
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