What a lovely way to start the week.
Two trucks plowed down a busy street in Tel Aviv on Sunday morning, crashing into a bus, several vehicles and a number of pedestrians.
The drivers then sped off, leaving behind at least five casualties, one of them in critical condition. The driver of one of the trucks has been arrested.
There were immediate speculations that the incident was an attempted terrorist attack.
And why wouldn’t this be the speculation, given today is their “Naqba Day”, on which they commemorate Israel’s establishment as the great disaster and engage in violent fun for the whole family.
Updates (Israel time; latest from top)
12:26PM: Another witness has claimed he heard the accused terrorist say “Allahu Akbar” and “death to Jews.”
A witness who claims he stopped the “terrorist” who hit several cars on Tel Aviv’s Bar Lev Street Sunday, said he initially thought the driver had just lost control of his breaks.
Arik Levy told Israel radio that when he went to go help the driver, he saw him continue to hit cars and street lights, and heard him saying “Allahu Akbar” and “death to Jews.”
Levy said he ran up to the driver, the two struggled for a short time, and then police arrived at the scene after 10 minutes.
12:12PM: Footage from the aftermath of the attack.
11:52AM: Photos from the scene (received from ZAKA)
11:42AM: The truck driver has claimed his tire exploded, causing him to lose control of vehicle (and apparently his anger as he attacked people after getting out of his truck).
11:36AM: In case it wasn’t already obvious this was a terror attack, here is what another eyewitness saw:
“He went on and crashed into a bus. He got out and began to go crazy, throwing things at people. There was this poor innocent girl — he struck her on the head. She just fell down, and now people are treating her. What can I tell you? A terrorist attack.”
11:30AM: Hamas on Twitter:
One military Zionist killed in the occupied territories on Nakba “catastrophe” day, Saturday 15/5/2011
See how they view all Israeli civilians? And we are expected to make peace with these people.
11:12AM: Eyewitness:
“The truck driver drove like a madman. He didn’t care for anything standing in his way. At first I thought it was a car accident or that the driver lost control, but with the truck’s speed – it was an indication this was probably a terror attack.”
10:50AM: The Arab driver reportedly “struck vehicles for two kilometers,” but claims it was an accident.
I smell a (Naqba) rat.
10:45AM: One dead (a 40-year-old man), and at least 13 wounded. And the detained driver happens to be an Israeli Arab.
