Hamas praises ‘heroic’ Acre car-ramming attack

President Rivlin wishes injured Israelis a speedy recovery, vows alleged perpetrator, an Arab-Israeli man, will be brought to justice

Israeli security forces at the scene of car-ramming attack near the train station in the northern city of Acre, on March 4, 2018. (Meir Vaknin/Flash90)
Israeli security forces at the scene of car-ramming attack near the train station in the northern city of Acre, on March 4, 2018. (Meir Vaknin/Flash90)

The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas on Sunday praised a “brave and heroic” car-ramming attack in Acre earlier in the day that left four Israelis injured.

“We bless the heroic and brave Acre operation, which is an important step in continuing the resistance against the crimes of the occupation,” the Gaza-based group said in a statement, according to reports.

Two soldiers, a border guard and a civilian were lightly injured in the incident, which police described as a nationalistically motivated vehicular attack.

Police said the driver of a Hyundai SUV, who was shot and subdued by a solider at the scene, has been identified as the attacker. Reports in Hebrew-language media said he is an Arab Israeli man from the town of Shfaram.

President Reuven Rivlin speaks at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, in Jerusalem, on February 18, 2018. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

President Reuven Rivlin later on Sunday extended sympathy to the Israelis injured in the “terrible” attack.

In a tweet, Rivlin vowed that the perpetrator “will be held responsible for this crime, and that peace, tranquility and coexistence will soon return to the streets of wonderful Acre.”

Security footage from the incident showed a speeding SUV streaking through an intersection where a uniformed border police guard was crossing, striking him and sending him flying into the air. Subsequent footage showed the same SUV hopping a curb and driving onto a patch of grass, as the driver hits the pair of servicemen.

The driver can be seen turning back in an apparent attempt to hit the soldiers again, and then returning to the road and fleeing the scene as police arrive.

It was not immediately clear how the civilian, a 51-year-old man, was injured in the attack.

Police said a soldier opened fire at the vehicle and wounded the driver, who was apprehended.

The investigation was put under a gag order, and no further details were provided, including the driver’s identity and condition.

Judah Ari Gross contributed to this report.

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