Police: Old City stabbing was terror attack, not brawl

A stabbing in Jerusalem’s Old City Monday evening was nationalistically motivated, police said Tuesday, rejecting reports the violence had been the result of a brawl.

The preliminary findings of the attack on Monday showed that two Orthodox men had left the Shuvu Achim yeshiva in the Old City and headed toward Jaffa Gate when they were assaulted by four Palestinians.

One of the Jewish men, 45, was stabbed in the abdomen and moderately wounded, while the other, 32, was hit with a blunt object.

Despite their wounds, the victims managed to reach Kishle police station in the Armenian Quarter, and were taken to Shaare Tzedek hospital from there.

Border Police arrested four Palestinian teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17 shortly after the attack.

The remand for two of the suspects was extended on Tuesday until Thursday, according to Haaretz, while the two others were released to house arrest.

Tensions in Jerusalem have been spiking in recent months, mostly over Palestinian claims that the Israeli government wants to change the status quo at the Temple Mount by allowing Jews to pray there.

Netanyahu has repeatedly denied the claims, rejecting pressure from some members of his right-wing coalition to reverse Israeli policy and enable Jews to pray at the site.

In recent months, 11 people have been killed in attacks by Palestinian terrorists — mostly in Jerusalem.

Lazar Berman and AP contributed to this report.