Lapid meets with “courageous” men who stopped terrorist stabbing attack
Prime Minister Yair Lapid has met with Haim Naim and photographer Meshi Ben Ami, the civilians who neutralised the terrorist in yesterday’s stabbing attack in Jerusalem.
Yair Lapid meets with Haim Naim and Meshi Ben-Ami Photo: Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)
The Prime Minister gave them certificates of appreciation for responding quickly and for having the resourcefulness to prevent many more people from being hurt.
In their meeting, Naim and Ben Ami told the Prime Minister about the stabbing attack. Ben Ami was not a passenger on the bus but was driving near it when the attack occurred. He described how the terrorist used a screwdriver to stab his victim.
The terrorist had stabbed a man who was a passenger on a bus travelling near the Ramot Junction in Jerusalem. The terrorist was shot at the scene by Ben Ami, who happened to be there at the time of the stabbing. Before he was shot, Haim Naim threw a rock at the stabber and slowed him down.
The 41-year-old stabbing victim was only moderately wounded and taken to Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center for treatment.
The terrorist, who survived the shooting and was arrested, was identified as 44-year-old Ismail Nimer a Palestinian from Ramallah.
Lapid thanked them on behalf of the Government and citizens of Israel.
Yair Lapid told the two men, “It is difficult to imagine but were it not for the two of you – civilians would be dead. You saved lives.”
He went on to describe their actions as being a “civic obligation.”
“The country needs to know how to thank its citizens,” added Lapid. “This is appreciation on behalf of the country and thank you both. It was important for me to meet you and tell you how much we all appreciate what you did.”
“Were it not for good citizens, many more citizens would be dead in the streets. Very few people are capable of having both the fortitude and the courage to respond. The terrorist started stabbing and you Haim threw a rock at him and took him down, and you Meshi used your weapon and neutralised him. This was courageous and very impressive.”
