It was quiet today until.....

Today was the quietest it's been in weeks.  We actually sat at work all day without hearing the sirens, and there were no attacks.  Amazing - since yesterday was so violent.  And then....

About 4 pm today at Damascus Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem a security guard was escorting a family into the Old City as he was about to be attacked with a knife by an arab terrorist.  Police forces nearby saw the man with the knife about to stab the security guard, and shot the terrorist before he could injure anyone.


http://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinian-killed-during-attempted-stabbing-attack-in-jerusalem/

Then about 2 hours later.....remember this picture we posted on a recent blog?  It is on Jaffa Street about 100 feet from our CFI office.

Well, that's where the next stabbing attack occurred this evening - only 30 minutes after we were standing at this same spot leaving our office.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/201895


A man with a knife attacked a Jewish woman as she got off the bus, then he tried to get on the bus.  He was shot.

Immediately following the attack, IDF soldiers quickly searched inside the Central Bus Station for possible accomplices.  Shoppers had no idea what was transpiring.  Video below:

As we were watching the 8:00 news tonight (Israeli time), it was interrupted by a speech by Palestinian President Abbas addressing the Palestinians.  He said nothing to try to dispel the violence, in fact, he actually incited the situation, saying now is the time, we will not give up, we are proud of our martyrs, who are heroes.  We shall see what we experience now that their leader has given his stamp of approval on this violence.  

http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Abbas-accuses-Israel-of-aggressive-offensive-despite-day-of-Palestinian-terror-attacks-424969

If you have any interest in watching the news in English, live from Israel, here's the link.  We are 7 hours ahead of EST in the United States.

http://www.i24news.tv/en/tv/live

From Arutz Sheva News:  Soon after the attack, "Dozens of passersby defiantly sing 'Hatikva' outside the Jerusalem central bus station, following latest stabbing attack.

"Dozens of defiant Jerusalemites and Israeli commuters united in defiance of Arab terrorism outside Jerusalem's central bus station Wednesday night, following the latest stabbing attack in the capital which left an elderly woman seriously injured.

"The crowd - made up of religious and secular, young and old - spontaneously gathered to sing Israel's national anthem, Hatikvah ("The Hope") in an inspiring show of unity in the face of the ongoing wave of terrorism."  

If you can't watch this on your phone, I suggest you take the time to watch it on a computer.  Video below:

Hatikvah 

(lyrics)

As long as the Jewish spirit is yearning deep in the heart,

With eyes turned toward the East, looking toward Zion,

Then our hope - the two-thousand-year-old hope - will not be lost:

To be a free people in our land,

The land of Zion and Jerusalem.