A terrorist attack on the Mercaz Harav yeshiva (rabbinical college) in Jerusalem's Kiryat Moshe neighborhood this evening has left eight people dead and eight wounded, five of them severely, according to official police reports. According to Galei Tzahal (Israel Army Radio) the terrorist entered the yeshiva and opened fire in the library.
One of the students at the yeshiva, Yitzhak Danon, eventually managed to hit the terrorist. "I climbed on the roof of the study hall with my gun after I heard the sound of gunshots. The firing continued while I lay on the roof with my weapon cocked. Suddenly he came up, and started spraying bullets in the air. I fired two shots at his head, and saw him stagger," Danon said. The terrorist was finally killed by a paratroop officer, a student at the yeshiva who lives close by and came to the scene with his weapon at the sound of gunfire.
Security forces combed the area to make sure that there were no more terrorists at large.
An organization calling itself "The Sons of Fredom of the Galilee" has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mercaz Harav was founded in 1924 by Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak Hacohen Kook, chief rabbi of the Land of Israel. It is considered the foremost institution of religious Zionism.
The yeshiva has a guard, but he reportedly is generally off duty in the evenings, and it is not known whether he was present at this evening's incident. The yeshiva was more crowded than usual because of celebrations marking the first day of the Jewish month of Adar Bet, in anticipation of the Purim festival which falls this month.
In the Gaza Strip, the terrorist attack has reportedly been celebrated with gunfire and distribution of candies.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 6, 2008
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2008