Stabbing victim Aharon Banita was IDF soldier, army confirms

Stabbing victim Aharon Banita, 21, who was killed on Saturday night in Jerusalem’s Old City was an IDF soldier, the army said on Sunday.

The ultra-Orthodox French-born recruit will be buried on Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl military cemetery at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, the IDF said.

However, his family reportedly asked that he not be given an army burial, in keeping with ultra-Orthodox customs, and be laid to rest on Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives instead. Most ultra-Orthodox do not serve in the Israeli army.

Banita, a resident of Beitar Illit in the West Bank, was posthumously promoted to corporal.

He is survived by his wife, who was badly injured in the stabbing, and two children, the IDF said. One of his children, a two-year-old, was lightly injured in the attack. Adele Banita and the baby were both said to be in stable condition by Sunday morning.

Banita was off duty and was wearing religious garb and not an IDF uniform when he was attacked.

The terror attack Saturday also claimed the life of 41-year-old Nehemia Lavi, a local resident who ran out to help after hearing shouts outside his home. Lavi, a father of seven, was set to be buried at noon at Jerusalem’s Givat Shaul cemetery.

The Banita family was on their way to the Western Wall to pray when they were assaulted by a terrorist. Both Banita and Lavi succumbed to their wounds a short while after the attack.

The Palestinian terrorist was identified as Muhanad Shafeq Halabi, 19, from al-Bireh, near Ramallah in the West Bank. He was shot dead by police.