A knife-wielding Palestinian teenager who tried to attack Israeli Border Police officers on duty at one of the entrances to Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday was shot and killed, a police spokeswoman said. The Palestinian Authority Health Ministry identified the attacker as 16-year-old Fatima Hjeiji from Qarawat Bani Zeid, a village near Ramallah. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said that Fatima yelled "Allahu akbar" ("God is great") as she attempted to stab the officers. The knife she used was recovered from the scene together with a farewell letter from the teenager to her family quoting a verse from the Quran. She signed the letter with the word "shahida," Arabic for "martyr." The incident was the latest in a 19-month-long period of sporadic street attacks by Palestinians against Israelis. Many attacks have taken place at the bustling Damascus Gate entrance to Jerusalem's walled Old City. The violence came hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Palestinians are not educating their children toward peace. Since 2015, Palestinian attackers have killed 42 Israelis, two visiting Americans and a British student, mainly in stabbing assaults. The Palestinian "martyrs' fund" pays compensation to some 35,000 families of Palestinians killed or wounded as a result of perpetrating terrorist attacks.
Palestinian teen killed attempting to stab police in Jerusalem
Fatima Hjeiji, 16, lunged with a knife at police officers on duty at Damascus Gate, shouting "Allahu akbar" • Knife, note signed "martyr" recovered at the scene • Attack comes hours after PM Benjamin Netanyahu says Palestinians do not teach peace.
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