Hamas justifies murder of 3-month-old baby, blames 'occupation' by Jews
Police examine a car that was used to run over pedestrians at the Ammunition Hill train station on October 22, 2014 in Jerusalem.
Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images
On Wednesday, a three-month-old baby girl was murdered in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem when a car swerved into pedestrians at the Ammunition Hill light rail station, the Jerusalem Postreported. In response, Hamas spokesman Hossam Badran said the attack "is a natural response to the crimes of the occupation and invasion of our land by the Jews," justifying the child's death.
A U.S. official said the girl, identified as Chaya Zissel Braun, was an American citizen. Nine people were struck by the driver and the girl reportedly flew some 10-20 meters, or about 32-64 feet, in the air before landing headfirst on the pavement. Doctors at Hadassah University Medical Center on Jerusalem’s Mount Scopus were unable to stabilize the child's condition.
"The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms today’s terrorist attack in Jerusalem," said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. "We express our deepest condolences to the family of the baby, reportedly an American citizen, who was killed in this despicable attack, and extend our prayers for a full recovery to those injured. We urge all sides to maintain calm and avoid escalating tensions in the wake of this incident."
Shimshon Halperin, the girls grandfather, blamed the girl's death on “the Arabs’ merciless hatred of thousands of years.“ He also described his granddaughter as "a pure girl with a holy soul, who never did anything bad to anyone in her life and was murdered for no reason.”
“They had just returned from the Kotel [Western Wall]," he said, describing the girl's short life. "It was the first time in her life that the girl was at the Kotel. They [her parents] took pictures, they held her up to face the Temple Mount, and they told her this is the holy place, this is the Temple Mount.”
President Reuven Rivlin and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat were among those present at the girl's funeral, held at midnight on Wednesday. In his eulogy, Rivlin said the killers "do not distinguish between haredi and secular, settler and leftist, or a Jew in Israel or in the diaspora."
"They understand that what appears to be things that divide us are only illusions," he added. "But they also know where to hurt us. They identify very well the things that we value most. They know the great love that we have for innocent babies who are pure and innocent."
Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the driver of the car "apparently tried to flee on foot and was shot and wounded by a policeman from the Jerusalem district." According to reports, the driver also served time in an Israeli prison. Israel Radio identified the 20-year-old driver as Abdelrahman al-Shaludi, adding that he was a resident of the Arab Silwan neighborhood.
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