Israeli police were on heightened alert in Jerusalem on Wednesday after a vehicle driven by a Palestinian man struck a group of people at a train stop, fatally injuring a 3-month-old girl in what authorities believe was a deliberate attack.

Authorities said a vehicle driven by a Palestinian resident of Jerusalem swerved onto the light-rail tracks and then into a group of people disembarking at a train stop by Ammunition Hill, near the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.

Nine people sustained varying degrees of injury, including the girl, who died at a local hospital, officials said.

The driver was shot by police after he got out of the car and tried to flee. A tweet from police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld described the man as an “Arab terrorist” from the Silwan neighborhood.


The Palestinian news agency Maan identified the man as 20-year-old Abd al-Rahman Shaludi. Witnesses told the agency the incident appeared to be an accident and that security guards shot him in the back as he got out of the car.

Israeli media reported the driver was seriously wounded and underwent surgery in a Jerusalem hospital. He was previously jailed for security offenses and was a member of the militant group Hamas, according to reports.

Following consultations with police and security agencies, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an increase of forces in Jerusalem, where both tension and violence have worsened in recent months.

“This is how Abu Mazen’s partners in government act,” said Netanyahu, referring to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ unity government that is backed by Hamas.


Netanyahu said recent comments by Abbas “incited towards a terrorist attack in Jerusalem.”

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat called the situation in recent months “intolerable” and urged uncompromising action against all violence in the city. “We will not rest until security is restored in Jerusalem,” his statement said.

The girl’s grandfather, Shimshon Halperin, told local media that the baby’s parents were returning home from a visit to the Western Wall and had just gotten off the train when the car struck, throwing the little girl from her carriage.

Halperin said his granddaughter was a “pure girl with a sacred soul who harmed no one” and was killed without reason. He expressed a wish for an end to hatred.


Sobelman is a special correspondent.