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Palestinian shot after running over 14 people in Jerusalem

Injuries ranged from moderate to light as Palestinian driver was shot dead by bystanders
Israeli emergency services push a young woman who was wounded during the attack on 14 December 2015 in Jerusalem (AFP)
Par MEE staff

Fourteen people have reportedly been injured in East Jerusalem after a 21-year-old Palestinian rammed his car into a crowd of pedestrians standing near a bus stop. 

The driver Abed Almohsin Hassoneh, from the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Beit Hanina, was then shot and killed by a bystander and an undercover security officer, the Times of Israel reported. 

"Terrorist attack at the entrance of Jerusalem minutes ago," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said on Twitter. "Terrorist drove vehicle into bus stop at entrance of city. Terrorist shot at scene."

Late Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered that concrete barriers be placed near hundreds of bus stops in Jerusalem to protect people against similar attacks, his office said.

Israeli daily Haaretz reported that the police found later found an axe in the attacker's Mazda and said that 11 people had been injured, although Israeli army spokesperson Peter Lerner tweeted that nine people were injured. 

A video has emerged that shows a white car and what seems like a fire hydrant overflowing with water.

One of those injured was reported to be a one-year-old, who was described as "seriously injured". Another of the injured was described as in a "moderate" condition and the others were lightly wounded. All are being treated at a hospital in Jerusalem.

While there have been almost daily attacks in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories since the latest uptick in violence began in October, this was the first attack to hit Jerusalem in almost a week. 

In October, an Israeli mayor called on Israeli civilians to carry guns at all times. Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan said that all Israeli citizens licensed to carry weapons should do so. 

Gun-store owners reported selling out as more and more Israelis bought guns, tear gas canisters and pepper sprays.

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