Displayed with permission from Newsweek
On Wednesday, thousands in Tel Aviv were enjoying the beautiful summer evening when gunmen opened fire on diners at the crowded Benedict eatery. Initial reports suggest the terrorists were using home-made machine guns and fired until they ran out of ammunition, killing and injuring nine.
A private security guard from the market was able to disable one of the attackers and a second ran from the Sarona market into a side street. Police followed the attacker and shot him.
Within moments, ambulances arrived. Four of the injured taken to the nearby Icholov hospital were pronounced dead. The five others remain in the hospital and are in very serious condition.
Events of the last several hours have shattered the calm that had settled over Israel these last few weeks. Most people believed that the current wave of deadly attacks was essentially over.
This one took place in the shadow of Israel’s Defense Headquarters. Sarona Market is the very center of what one could call Tel Aviv normalcy.
Israeli security personnel search the Sarona area after a shooting attack in the center of Tel Aviv that left four dead and five injured, June 8, 2016. One gunman was detained, the other shot by police in the hubbub of Israel’s biggest open air market. Residents appear to have taken it in their stride. REUTERS/Baz Ratner Baz Ratner/reuters
Ten years ago, Sarona was the rundown part of Israeli Army headquarters, and an area of old homes that had once been a German Templer settlement from the 19th century.
Two years ago, Sarona sprang to life and the area has become Tel Aviv’s newest entertainment and shopping attraction, with dozens of restaurants. Last year, Sarona opened for business and instantly became Israel’s biggest and most popular indoor market.
Directly outside the market are two of Sarona’s most popular restaurants, “Max Brenner” (a branch of a chain known for its chocolate desserts) and “Benedict” (known for their all-day breakfasts).
As I have often told friends, when you walk into Sarona Market you feel as if you are no longer in Israel. But tonight it became very clear: the Sarona is very much a part of Israel.
Police say there was no warning of the attack. Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai called on Tel Aviv residents to wake up tomorrow and “return to our normal lives.”
Earlier story is below
UPDATE: 4:33 p.m. EDT – The Jewish Press reported that four people were killed and four others were in critical condition. Witnesses of the terror attack in Tel Aviv: We just ran”, We hid in the basement”, “We hid in the fridge”. Horrible. — (((Becky Griffin))) (@dorothyofisrael) June 8, 2016 Original story: Two Palestinian men reportedly…
American Jewish Congress issued this statement:
n response to the terror attack at the Sarona market in Tel Aviv, which left at least three killed and seven wounded, American Jewish Congress (AJCongress) President Jack Rosen issued the following statement:
“We condemn this horrific attack in the strongest possible terms. The American Jewish Congress sends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected. There is never a justification for these kinds of barbaric attacks on civilians.”
The World Jewish Congress posted the following:
World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald S. Lauder on Thursday condemned the terrorist attack on Wednesday night in Tel Aviv, in which four people were killed and more than a dozen injured.
Tweet of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh celebrating the attack in Tel AvivTweet of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh celebrating the attack in Tel Aviv“The Jewish world is shocked about what happened last night in Israel. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families, and to the people of Israel,” Lauder declared.
He expressed “shock and dismay” about the fact that Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups celebrated the attack with fireworks.
At least four people were killed in the attack Wednesday night at the Sarona Market shopping complex, and another 16 were wounded. On Thursday morning, a statement by Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, said that the two gunmen were members of the organization.
The attackers were caught after fleeing the scene, one having been shot and seriously wounded by a security guard. Hamas declared the attack was a response to alleged Israeli “violations” on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Ronald S. Lauder called on Palestinian President Abbas to condemn the attack and to abandon plans for a Palestinian unity government with Hamas “and any other group that applauds such vicious acts.
“Hamas and others are celebrating the bloodshed. It’s become clear once again that they are a terror group, and not a partner for peace.
“It’s high time that responsible Palestinian leaders stand up and stop the glorification of terror and murder. The pictures of large numbers of people celebrating callous acts of murder on the streets of Ramallah and Gaza City are revolting, and they show that something is fundamentally flawed in Palestinian society,” said Lauder.
The WJC president added: “Just as there cannot be any justification for terrorist acts in Paris, Brussels or Tel Aviv, there must be no cooperation with terrorists. They must be fought and defeated, not courted.”
Although no Palestinian terrorist organization has officially claimed responsibility for the attack, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and spokesman Mushir al-Masri praised the terrorists and called on other young Palestinians to carry out similar attacks. “This is not the first time that the city of Hebron and surrounding [villages] have proved that Hebron is the capital of the uprising and resistance against the Zionist occupation,” Haniyeh said.
The attack has been nicknamed ‘Amaliat al-Ramadan’ (‘Operation Ramadan’) in Palestinian social media posts. The Muslim holiday of Ramadan began this week.
The U.S. State Department issued this statement:
The United States condemns today’s horrific terrorist attack in Tel Aviv in the strongest possible terms. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and our hopes for a quick recovery for those wounded. These cowardly attacks against innocent civilians can never be justified. We are in touch with Israeli authorities to express our support and concern.