The terrorist attack was carried out by 21-year-old Abd el-Rahman Shaloudi, a 21-year-old Arab from the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan. He was shot by police as he tried to flee the scene and died despite being treated in Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Hospital.

Shaloudi made no secret of his support for Hamas, posting messages and video clips about the terrorist organization on his Facebook page. He is the nephew of Muhi a-Din Sharif, the former head of the terrorist organization’s armed wing and its chief bomb-maker who was responsible for many of the worst attacks perpetrated by Hamas, who died in 1998.

Shaloudi had been arrested for terrorism-related violence against Jews in the past and served two prison sentences. Among the charges to which he pleaded guilty were throwing petrol bombs at Jewish cars, attempted arson and aggravated assault.

PA Praise

There was widespread praise of the terrorist attack by PA (Palestinian Authority) officials, media and terrorist organization spokesmen.

The Fatah movement, headed by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, published items glorifying Shaloudi. Sultan Abu-Aynayn, a Fatah Central Committee member and Abbas advisor, praised Shaloudi and called him “a heroic martyr” in Facebook comments posted Thursday (23 October).

Fatah Facebook page honoring Abdel Rahman al-Shaloudi Fatah also published a poster Thursday on its official Facebook page celebrating the terrorist: “The Silwan branch of Fatah honors the heroic martyr Abdel Rahman al-Shaloudi, who executed the Jerusalem operation which led to the running over of settlers in the occupied city of Jerusalem.” Fatah portrayed his death as “his wedding” [a reference to the Muslim belief that martyrs marry 72 virgins in paradise].

Other media outlets that support Fatah, including the official PA new agency, denied the videos and other evidence, calling the attack “a traffic accident.”

A senior Hamas spokesperson, Mushir al-Masri, praised the terrorist attack Thursday, deeming it a “daring operation” and a “natural response.”

Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigade released an official statement Thursday, similarly calling the attack a “natural right” and a response to “Zionist aggression.”

Meanwhile, the Hamas-supported news agency Shehab produced a poster encouraging more Palestinians to use their cars to carry out terrorist attacks. The poster, which shows the floor of a car on the drivers’ side, replaces the acceleration pedal with a Kalashnikov magazine overflowing with bullets.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)