Seven people were wounded during the night when a lone assailant stole a taxi and drove it into a group of border policemen manning a checkpoint, and then continuing to stab others near the HaUman 17 Club. The attack occurred on Abarbanel Street in Tel Aviv, at the intersection of Salma Street at about 1:45am.

According to eyewitnesses, the man got into the taxi and tried running the checkpoint and continue towards the nightclub. Fortunately, border policemen from the Sufa and Ofir units were in the area. After striking two people, the assailant got out of the cab wailing a knife, screaming “Ala Akbar” as he headed towards the crowd.

One border police officer was very seriously wounded, injured in his head and abdomen. Two others are listed in moderate condition and the others are in light condition. The victims were transported to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv and Wolfson Hospital in Holon.

Taxi driver Nachman Izi explained to police he thought he was the victim of a carjacking and nothing more. The terrorist instructed him to get out of the taxi, explaining “I need it for a few minutes. He was very polite and did not raise his voice or threaten.”

Nachman tried to restrain him, but he then pulled the knife, injuring him lightly, making off with the vehicle.

Police have confirmed the incident was a terror attack, adding the perpetrator, a 25-year-old resident of PA-controlled Shechem, was lightly injured as a result of being subdued by the border policemen.

Police Chief Yochanan Danino told the media “This just highlights the motivation of terrorists to perpetrate attacks. We are dealing with a lone terrorist who decided on the action. He then purchased a knife and came to Tel Aviv towards actualizing his plan. He first robbed the taxi. He headed to an area attended by hundreds of people, youths attending a party. The presence of the border policemen prevented a tragedy. We got away lucky relatively speaking.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)