Jerusalem police arrest Palestinian woman armed with knife

Officers detain suspect near Damascus Gate, site of multiple attacks, after search reveals large concealed blade

By ToI Staff 8 February 2016, 8:22 pm

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Illustrative image of Border Police officers on patrol at Damascus Gate outside the Old City of Jerusalem (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Police officers stationed at the Damascus Gate area outside Jerusalem’s Old City on Monday arrested a Palestinian woman carrying a large knife.

The officers said that they stopped and searched the woman, said to be 42 years of age, after she was acting suspiciously. The search turned up the concealed blade.

The Damascus Gate is the main entrance to the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, and has been the site of dozens of attacks in recent months.

Last week, policewoman Hadar Cohen, 19, was killed and a colleague was seriously injured after three Palestinians shot and stabbed them in the same area.

Border Police officer Hadar Cohen, 19, was killed in a terror attack at Damascus Gate outside of Jerusalem's Old City on February 3, 2016. (Israel Police) — Border Police officer Hadar Cohen, 19, was killed in a terror attack at Damascus Gate outside of Jerusalem’s Old City on February 3, 2016. (Israel Police)

Also on Monday, an 11-year-old Jewish boy was stabbed and wounded in an attack in the central Israeli town of Ramle.

The boy was hospitalized with moderate injuries, the Magen David Adom emergency services said. The child said that the assailant was an Arab. A 17-year-old Arab youth was arrested a short time later on suspicion of carrying out the attack.

Earlier Monday, two Palestinian teenagers from East Jerusalem were arrested for throwing stones at the Jerusalem Light Rail near the Shuafat refugee camp.

The two, both aged 16, were taken into police custody for questioning, Channel 2 reported.

Since October, an ongoing wave of Palestinian terror attacks has killed 27 Israelis, as well as an Eritrean, an American and a Palestinian bystander. Some 150 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces, most while carrying out attacks but others during violent clashes and demonstrations.