Target civilians Non-fatal injuries 1 Total number of deaths 2 | Weapons knife Date 19 November 2015 Attack type Stabbing | |
Perpetrator Raid Halil bin Mahmoud (lone wolf) Location Kiryat Shalom, Tel Aviv, Israel Similar 2012 Tel Aviv bus bombing, 2014 Jerusalem synagogu, 2012 Burgas bus bombing, August 2012 Sinai attack | ||
On November 19, 2015, an assailant approached the entrance of a Tel Aviv synagogue at prayer time, and stabbed and killed two worshipers. The attacker was arrested.
Contents
Attack
The attacker approached the entrance to the informal prayer room located in a South Tel Aviv building during afternoon prayers. Worshippers inside the synagogue became aware of the attack when a man covered in blood staggered into the room and someone shouted, "There's a terrorist." Some worshipers assisted the wounded man while the other men who had been praying rushed to close the door,leaning against it to prevent the attacker from entering. When the terrorist ceased attempting to shove the door open, they rushed out with makeshift weapons to try to subdue him.
Context
This attack shocked the nation coming, as it did, after a period of calm, free of terror attacks. Together with the deadly shooting at Gush Etzion Junction that occurred only a few hours afterwards, it was, "the bloodiest day in Israel since this latest round of Palestinian violence began back in September."
This was the first terror attack to be carried out by a terrorist who had successfully passed through the security screening process and obtained a legal permit to work inside the Green Line.
Impact
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories responded by suspending 1,200 entry permits to Israel, for Palestinians from the Hebron area.
Victims
Assailant
The attacker, Raid Halil bin Mahmoud (36), father of five, was arrested and identified as an Arab from the town of Dura. He had recently been granted a permit to work in a Tel Aviv restaurant, but told authorities that his purpose in getting the permit had been to kill Jews. The attacker had been granted the work permit enabling him to enter Israel only 4 days before he stabbed two men to death at the synagogue. The assailant was indicted for murder on 13 December 2015.