This Ongoing War: A Blog: 16-Apr-15: At a bus stop stop in Jerusalem's French Hill on Holocaust Memorial Day, two lives upended

Thursday, April 16, 2015

16-Apr-15: At a bus stop stop in Jerusalem's French Hill on Holocaust Memorial Day, two lives upended

Around 11 on Wednesday night, we posted this to our Twitter account:

French Hill quarter, Jerusalem - sounds of police, ambulance activity; initial reports of suspected terror attack: Holocaust Memorial Day
— This Ongoing War (@ThisOngoingWar) April 15, 2015

Those first reports were unclear, though the sounds of emergency vehicles - clearly heard in our part of Israel's capital at a late hour - conveyed urgency and danger. There is still no confirmation from the authorities that what happened was a calculated act of terror via lethal vehicle. But the indications that it was are significant.

From Haaretz this morning ["Israeli man dies after possible Jerusalem car ramming attack"]:

Palestinian driver has been detained as part of the investigation; Police probing terror motives | Nir Hasson | April 16, 2015 | An Israeli man died Thursday morning of injuries sustained after being struck by a car in Jerusalem the previous night. The victim has been identified as Shalom Yohai Sherki, 25. He was the son of Rabbi Uri Sherki and [brother of] Channel 2 correspondent, Yair Sherki. The driver, a Palestinian, has been detained by police. Police and the Shin Bet security service were investigationg the incident and trying to determine whether the attack was intentional.They have not ruled out the possibility that it was an accident... Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat arrived at the scene Wednesday night along with heavy police forces and emergency crew. The incident occurred on Route 1, not far from some of the car ramming attacks in Jerusalem in recent months.

Those attacks were acts of terror beyond any doubt. We reported on two here just last month ["07-Mar-15: For some, but only some, Friday's Jerusalem ramming/slashing was yet another terror attack" and "06-Mar-15: Jerusalem, Purim and terror... once again"]

Shalom Yochai Sherki Z"L

Israel National News tells us more about one of the victims:

Son of Prominent Rabbi Victim in Possible 'Car Terror' Incident | The Israeli killed when he and a companion were hit by an Arab driver is Shalom Yohai Sherki, the son of the well-known Rabbi Uri Sherki | Moshe Cohen | First Publish: 4/16/2015, 9:00 AM
The Israeli killed Wednesday night when he and a companion were hit by an Arab driver is Shalom Yohai Sherki, the son of the popular Rabbi Uri Sherki, and brother of Channel Two journalist Yair Sherki. Shalom studied at the Bnei Tzvi Torani yeshiva high school in Beit El and was employed there as a youth counselor after his IDF service. The 25 year old victim's funeral will be held Thursday, the family said.
Still in critical condition is a second victim, a female around 20 years of age. Doctors are fighting to save her life. The two were hit late Wednesday by an Arab driver from Jerusalem, who slammed into the two at a bus stop in the French Hill area of Jerusalem. Police questioned the suspect overnight, and suspect that terror might have been the motive of the driver, who sought to kill Jews on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day, police sources said. The suspect is to be transferred to the Shabak for questioning Thursday. The suspect was slightly injured in the incident, and was treated at the site by Magen David Adom volunteers.
Rabbi Uri Sherki is well-known in Religious Zionist circles. A close student of Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, he is head of the Israeli student department in Machon Meir and rabbi of the Beit Yehuda synagogue. Born in Algeria, Rabbi Sherki, was raised in France, and is a popular figure among French Jews. His Torah lectures often focus on Philosophy and Religion. Yair Sherki is the religious affairs correspondent for Channel Two...

Today, Holocaust Memorial Day (the 27th day of the month of Nissan) is when Jews reflect on the hatred that costs lives and futures.

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