Attempted stabbing thwarted near Jerusalem's Old City

Police officers arrested an Arab woman after she attempted to stab a police officer near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City on Monday evening, according to police.

قوات الاحتلال تعتقل فتاة عن باب حطة أحد أبواب المسجد الأقصى المبارك، بزعم محاولة تنفيذ عملية طعن pic.twitter.com/RO5YK8BK0z

— القسطل الاخباري | القدس (@AlQastalps) September 4, 2023

The incident was reported near the Gate of Forgiveness to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif complex. Video reportedly from the scene showed police officers restraining a woman near the gate.

قوات الاحتلال تعتدي على المصلين داخل المسجد الأقصى من جهة باب حطة، عقب اعتقال فتاة بزعم محاولة تنفيذ عملية طعن pic.twitter.com/kimCSkqMjD

— القسطل الاخباري | القدس (@AlQastalps) September 4, 2023

The suspected terrorist was a 44-year-old Palestinian from the Jenin area who was in the country illegally. The policeman targeted in the attack was not injured by the stabbing due to a protective vest he was wearing. The suspect's arrest was extended on Tuesday until Sunday.

A., the police officer who was targeted, stated after the attack "I immediately understood that it was a terrorist attack. I did not shoot because passers-by were there at the time. I pushed her away with my hands and feet and used force to neutralize her. The knife fell from her hand, and when she was pinned to the floor and the danger passed, I and the police team that was next to me took control of her and arrested her. I realized that the vest protected me and prevented the knife from penetrating my body."

Police officers and a number of worshipers on the Temple Mount scuffled after the incident, according to Palestinian reports.

Last week, a terrorist from the Beit Hanina neighborhood of Jerusalem moderately injured an Israeli man in a stabbing attack at the Shivtei Yisrael light rail station in Jerusalem. The terrorist was shot and killed by a Border Police officer at the scene after the attack.