A chareidi family tells of their near death experience, tens of masked Arabs trying to kill them as they drove in the Wadi Joz area of the eastern capital. Kikar Shabbos reports they said “police could not believe we escaped with our lives”.

While the family was traumatized, B’chasdei Hashem they did not suffer physical injuries. There were seven family members in the vehicle at the time of the attack including an 18-month-old girl, a 12-year-old boy, an 18-year-old make and four adults. They were caught in the attack as they tried making their way to the Kosel.

The attack comes amid days of rioting in the capital and elsewhere, rioting that followed the murder of 16-year-old Muhmad Abu-Khenin by Jews. Rock-throwing attacks in Yerushalayim have increased sharply in the last days, including destruction to light rail stops and rock attacks against buses in the city and those heading to and from Maale Adumim. There have also been pipe bomb and firebomb attacks against security forces.

The attempted lynch of the family occurred during the day, at 13:45 in the afternoon as the family was heading to the Kosel. As they entered the predominately Arab area of the capital rocks began flying from every direction. The driver realized what was taking place as masked youths were heading to the vehicle and he hit the gas in the hope of getting out before it was too late. As a result of his escape efforts, he ran over and hit some of the masked attackers.

When they finally reached the police checkpoint at the border of the community they understood they just escaped a near death incident.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)