In a statistical rarity, the policeman who halted Monday morning’s stabbing attack near Herod’s Gate in Jerusalem had already stopped a terrorist attack in 2005. After being seriously injured during Monday’s attack, the policeman nevertheless managed to shoot and severely wound the terrorist. 11 years ago, he lightly injured a terrorist outside the Shalem police station in Jerusalem.

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The incident in 2005 involved the terrorist Raed Abu Hamed from the Palestinian city of Bethany, intent on stabbing a soldier and dying a Shahid. When he could not find any soldiers, Abu Hamed arrived at the Shalem police station. Spotting a police officer standing outside the station, Abu Hamed attacked him, cutting his ear and lightly wounding him. He was sentenced to ten years in prison for the attack, but five years into his sentence was found dead in the prison shower.

A video of the stabbing attack near Herod's Gate in in Jerusalem (באדיבות: דוברות המשטרה)

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Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) and Chief of Israel Police Roni Alsheikh visited both wounded police officers on Tuesday. Alsheikh told the policeman, “All the Israeli Police force is behind you. Your determination to achieve contact and fight the terrorist until he was neutralized, despite being severely injured, saved your life and probably the life of the policewoman who was with you.” He continued by saying, “Achieving contact in the face of terrorism is the norm in the police, and this isn’t the first time you have acted in this manner.”

L to R: Gilad Erdan and Roni Alshiekh visit the wounded officer (Photo: Police Spokesperson's Unit)

Erdan said, “We have amazing police officers and soldiers who protect the citizens of Israel with their very bodies, and I salute them for it. One hundred years of terrorism have not caused us to surrender yet, and we will fight and strike our enemy just like before.”

The above video from the attack was released Tuesday by the Jerusalem Police. In the video, the terrorist can be seen walking behind the police officers, before coming closer and attacking them. The policeman can then be seen hitting back.

The police investigation of the event found that the terrorist, who is in his 20s and resides in east Jerusalem, arrived at Nablus Gate around 7:30 am before spotting the officers, trailing them on their way to Herod’s Gate and managing to stab them in their upper torsos and neck.