Ezra Schwarts: American Student Killed in Terrorist Attack in Israel

Schwartz is being remembered by family and friends as an energetic young man enthusiastic about his Jewish faith.

Two Palestinians from the Hebron area carried out separate attacks in Tel Aviv and the Etzion settlement bloc Thursday, resulting in five deaths, in one of the deadliest days since an October 1 upsurge of violence. When he attempted to flee, he was tackled by civilians who subdued him until police arrived.

The American, whose identity was not immediately released, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Fox News.

Ezra Schwartz was 18 years old and a recent high school graduate from MA who was spending the year studying at a religious school.

Abu Khdeir’s attorney Mohammad Mahmoud said Thursday the ruling delivered an “extremely light” punishment that “gives (police) a free hand”.

After his capture, officials say the man from the West Bank town of Dura near Hebron told police officers that he went to Tel Aviv “in order to attack and kill Jews”. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the attacker attempted to enter a synagogue inside the building.

Schwartz graduated from the Maimonides School in Brookline, Massachusetts, last year. His murder was a senseless, vile act of cowardice and terror.

On Thursday afternoon, a 24-year-old Palestinian terrorist from nearby Hebron began shooting at cars in the next lane with an automatic rifle.

Over the past two months, Palestinian attacks have killed 17 Israelis, mostly in stabbings, while 84 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire.

Witnesses said the attacker had then tried to force his way into the prayer room. If President Abbas is serious about cracking down on Palestinian violence, he must do so both in action and words.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) expressed shock and deep sadness at the violence across Israel today, which killed at least five people and wounded a number of others.

UN Middle East coordinator Nickolay Mladenov, who has been critical of Israel’s methods of fighting Islamists, on November 19 extended his “deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims of the abhorrent terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut and the Sinai”.

NJ.com quotes Schwartz’s aunt, Tammy Thurm, saying that when the attack occurred, Schwartz was with school mates on their way home from a community service project to construct a park in honor of three boys gunned down by terrorists a year ago.