In wake of attacks, concrete blocks to protect light rail stations

Jerusalem police decided at a security assessment meeting on Wednesday to place concrete barriers at light rail stations following Wednesday's rammingterror attack, the second of three vehicular terror attacks in two weeks.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also held an emergency security meeting following the attack in which an Arab terrorist, identified as east Jerusalem resident Ibrahim al-Akri, intentionally ran his vehicle into a crowd of people near the Shimon Hatzadik light rail station, killing border policeman Jadan Assad from the Druze town of Beit Jan and wounding at least 13 others. The terrorist was shot dead by security forces shortly afterward.

"There could be another terror attack tomorrow using different means," said Jerusalem District Police Commander Moshe Edri. "I hope we will be able to restore calm in Jerusalem."

Edri instructed senior officers in the field to remain on high alert and to keep their forces on patrol in large numbers to ensure preparedness for any violent incidents.

At the same time, dialogue with local Arab leadership is ongoing in an effort to calm tensions.

Meanwhile, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri on Wednesday praised the terror attack, calling it a "courageous operation."

"Hamas blesses the courageous operation in Jerusalem and considers it as a normal reaction to the Israeli crimes in Jerusalem and in Al-Aqsa. Hamas considers this operation and all of the similar ones as a signal [that] shows that the situation will explode because of the Israeli crimes in Jerusalem and in Al-Aqsa. Hamas calls on all of our people to use all the means to stop these crimes," he said.

Hamas spokesman Fazi Barhoum called on residents of the West Bank and east Jerusalem to continue carrying out attacks, while Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal said, "The Palestinian nation sees the crimes that Israel carries out on Al-Aqsa and can no longer remain silent. I call on the Arab world to safeguard Al-Aqsa."

The terrorist who carried out Wednesday's attack was known to the defense establishment as being affiliated with Hamas. Akri, 38, was a father of five and a resident of Shuafat refugee camp. He belonged to a family of Hamas supporters.

His brother, Musa al-Akri, was released from Israeli prison in the Gilad Schalit prisoner exchange and exiled to Turkey. He was a member of the Hamas cell that murdered border policeman Nissim Toledano in 1992.

Akri's funeral was held on Wednesday evening and attended by 35 of his friends and family members.

After news that he had been shot and killed spread, riots broke out in his neighborhood as well as in other parts of east Jerusalem.

Akri's wife and children made no effort to hide their support for Hamas. "We are proud that he became a martyr and protected the Palestinian people," his wife said, adding that the attack was carried out as a response to the tensions on the Temple Mount.

"It hurt him to see the blood and the desecration at Al-Aqsa. In the morning, he saw on television how they are slaughtering our people, and in a moment he decided to dedicate himself to being a martyr as the great martyrs did before him."