Emergency services and police are seen at the scene of an stabbing attack in Jerusalem, April 14, 2017.

A 21-year-old British student was killed in a stabbing attack near the Old City in Jerusalem on Friday. The assailant, a mentally unstable man from East Jerusalem, has been apprehended, the police said. In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tied the attack to global Islamic terrorism.

>> Get all updates on Jerusalem: Download our free App, and Subscribe >>

The attack took place in a light rail car near Tzahal Square. Paramedics performed CPR on the woman, who was stabbed multiple times, according to the Magen David Adom emergency response service. She was then rushed to the Hadassah Medical Center, Mount Scopus, where she was later pronounced dead.

>> Family of British student killed in Jerusalem laments 'senseless' attack <<

Gamil Tamimi, the man who allegedly carried out a deadly stabbing attack in Jerusalem on April 14, 2017. Emil Salman

Emergency services and police are seen at the scene of an stabbing attack in Jerusalem, April 14, 2017. Mahmoud Illean/AP

skip - Tzahal Square

skip - Suspect being arrested after a stabbing in Jerusalem.

Another woman, who is pregnant, was injured when the train stopped, and a man was hurt while trying to flee the assailant. They are both lightly hurt, MDA said.

The Hebrew University named the victim as Hannah Bladon, and said that she was studying at the school as part of the student exchange program with the University of Birmingham, where she studied theology. According to the university, Bladon, born in 1996, began her studies in Jerusalem in January 2017 and was scheduled to remain through the end of the semester.

The assailant has been identified as Gamil Tamimi, 57, a Palestinian resident of Ras al-Amud in East Jerusalem who was recently released from a psychiatric hospital, according to police.

Hannah Bladon

Keep updated: Sign up to our newsletter Email * Please enter a valid email address Sign up Please wait… Thank you for signing up. We've got more newsletters we think you'll find interesting. Click here Oops. Something went wrong. Please try again later. Try again Thank you, The email address you have provided is already registered. Close

A psychiatric report said that he had grown increasingly aggressive and violent over the last month.

The Shin Bet said that Tamimi had tried to commit suicide by swallowing a razorblade while hospitalized. In 2011, he was convicted of molesting his daughter.

"This is yet another case of a Palestinian suffering from personal, mental or moral distress choosing to commit an act of terror to escape his problems," the Shin Bet says.

According to the Rothberg International School at Hebrew University, Bladon had been taking bible studies, archaeology and Hebrew classes.

In a Facebook comment dated January 24, she wrote, "Security is really tight on campus so no worries." The comment was made on a photograph she posted of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City.

In a statement, Hebrew University expressed "deep sorrow over the murder of a British student, Hannah Bladon."

"The university condemns such acts of terror that harm innocent people, and especially a student who came to Jerusalem to study and widen her academic horizons," the statement added.

Rona Evyasaf, one of Bladon's teachers at Hebrew University, wrote on Facebook: "I found her to be very serious about her studies and very excited about archeology (she wanted to go on a dig before she goes back home). This is breaking my heart."

"We are deeply saddened to hear about the death of our student Hannah Bladon who was killed whilst on an exchange programme in Jerusalem," said a statement from Birmingham University, mentioning that support would be available to any student affected by the event.

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon sent his condolences to the family of the woman, and tied the attack to global terrorism in a statement. "We see that Islamic terrorsm is striking main cities around the world, including in Jerusalem, our capital."

"In this holiday of liberty [Passover], our security forces will hunt down and arrest the terrorists, those who send them and the agitators," he said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also tied the attack to global terrorism, in a statement issued shortly after Kahlon's. "Radical Islamic terrorism is striking world capitals. Regretfully, terrorism struck today in Israel's capital – Jerusalem.

"A Palestinian terrorist murdered in cold blood a 23-year-old student, a British citizen. In the name of all the People of Israel, I send my condolences to the family of the victim."

President Reuven Rivlin also issued a statement: “The bitter news of the young woman’s death in a terror attack in Jerusalem fills me with deep sorrow.”

The attack took place during Passover week, while Jerusalem is surging with visitors. On Saturday, thousands of Christian pilgrims are expected to take part Holy Fire ceremony in the city.

Some 1,500 police officers from other districts have been deployed in Jerusalem over Passover, with the city on high alert. Nevertheless, senior police officials said before the holiday that there hasn't been a concrete advance warning about terror attacks.</s>Hannah Bladon, a 21-year-old British exchange student was fatally stabbed in Jerusalem on Friday afternoon, reportedly by a Palestinian man with a history of mental illness and sexual abuse, who had recently been released from a psychiatric facility. The suspect has been apprehended.

"Radical Islamic terrorism is striking world capitals. Regretfully, terrorism struck today in Israel's capital – Jerusalem," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement. "A Palestinian terrorist murdered in cold blood... a British citizen. In the name of all the People of Israel, I send my condolences to the family of the victim."

The incident took place on the city’s light rail network. The attacker reportedly stood up from his seat, pulled out a knife and stabbed Bladon without warning.

The woman received wounds to her upper body and was initially in critical condition, Magen David Adom, an Israeli emergency services company, wrote on Twitter.

Later the city’s Hadassah University Medical Center told the Jerusalem Post that Bladon had died of her wounds.

Bladon was a theology student at the University of Birmingham in the UK, who had begun her guest studies at the Hebrew University, which confirmed her identity to the media, in January.

The British embassy told the Guardian that it was in touch with local authorities following the incident, but didn’t comment beyond that.

Two more people were also injured in the incident, the Jerusalem Post said. A 50-year-old man was wounded when he tried to flee the scene, while a pregnant woman suffered an injury to her stomach when the light rail train made an abrupt stop. Both victims were transported to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.

The Shin Bet domestic security service agency said that the suspect was identified as Jamil Tamimi, 57, a Palestinian from Arab East Jerusalem, Reuters reports. He was apprehended by officers and taken for questioning.

“It is one of many instances where a Palestinian suffering personal strife ... chooses to carry out an attack in order to find release for his problems,” the Shin Bet statement said, as cited by Reuters.

Tamimi is a Palestinian from Arab East Jerusalem who was charged with sexual assault against his daughter back in 2011, Shin Bet said.The man also previously attempted to commit suicide by swallowing a razor blade, it added.

The attack took place on Good Friday, a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. On this day many Christians flock to Jerusalem to join a procession in the Old City. According to tradition, the area is where Christ walked on the way to being crucified.

There has recently been a rise in the number of attacks committed by Palestinians in public places in Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. According to Israeli authorities, the current spate of violence began on September 13, 2015.

Since that date, 48 people have been killed in terrorist attacks and 713 people, including four Palestinians, have been injured.

There have been 174 stabbing attacks and 113 attempted stabbings, 143 shootings, 57 vehicle ramming attacks and one bus bombing, the Israeli Foreign Ministry reported.</s>A British woman student has been stabbed to death on Jerusalem’s light rail system on Friday.

The 23-year-old Jewish student, in Israel on a tourist visa, was stabbed repeatedly as the light rail entered the centre of Jerusalem opposite the walls of the historic old city. After receiving emergency first aid she was rushed to hospital where she died of her wounds.

The assailant was named as Jamil Tamimi (57) from the east Jerusalem Palestinian neighbourhood of Ras el-Amud. The Palestinian was apprehended by security guards and police shortly after the stabbing.

The Israel Security Agency (the Shin Bet) revealed that Mr Tamimi had attempted suicide. In 2011, he was convicted of sexually assaulting his daughter.

“This is another incident of many in which a Palestinian suffering from mental health or personal issues has chosen to carry out an attack as a way out of his problems,” the agency said.

Two other passengers, including a pregnant woman, were also hurt when the tram made an emergency stop following the attack.

The tram closed down and police closed the Damascus gate entrance to the old city for a few hours after the stabbing.

The incident occurred when security in Jerusalem was at a very high level with tens of thousands of Christian pilgrims in the old city for Good Friday along with Jews celebrating the week-long Passover festival. The attack occurred shortly after the end of Muslim Friday prayers at the al-Aqsa mosque on the old city’s Temple Mount, revered by Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif.

Although it has been a relatively quiet period over the last few months, Palestinians from the West Bank were prevented from entering Israel during Passover as part of the security operation. The Israeli authorities had warned that militant groups, particularly Hamas, might try to carry out attacks over the holiday period although they said there was no specific warning ahead of Friday’s stabbing.

Jerusalem’s light rail system passes through both Jewish and Palestinian areas and has been championed as an example of coexistence by Jerusalem’s mayor Nir Barkat. Police have made strenuous efforts to stop incidents of stone-throwing aimed at carriages as the rail passed through Palestinian neighbourhoods. A number of planned stabbings have also been thwarted since the system began operating in 2011.</s>A British woman on holiday in Israel has been stabbed to death by a Palestinian man in Jerusalem, police say.

The women, who has not been identified, is believed to have been a British student visiting Israel.

Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the man attacked the woman, who is believed to be in her early 20s, as she travelled on the light rail near Jerusalem’s Old City.

She was rushed to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center but died soon after arrival.

Local media reports suggested she had been stabbed multiple times and that two others were slightly injured in the attack – including a pregnant woman.

Yoram Halevi, Commander of the Jerusalem District in the Israeli Police, told a local radio station that the attacker – a 57-year-old man – had been arrested at the scene.

The area was packed with people at the time of the attack as Christians gather to celebrate Good Friday and Jewish people gather to observe Passover.

The city has been on high alert during Holy Week after an increase in knife attacks by Palestinians.

Since September 2015, Palestinians have killed 42 Israelis and two visiting Americans, mainly in stabbings, car ramming assaults and shooting attacks.

Israeli forces have killed at least 243 Palestinians during that time, most of them identified as attackers by Israeli authorities.

Most of the Palestinians were killed while attempting attacks, Israeli police say.

Others have been shot dead during protests and some have been killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip.</s>Update 4.55pm: A 57 year-old Palestinian man has been arrested after a British woman was fatally stabbed in Jerusalem.

It is understood he had a history of mental health problems.

Earlier: A young British tourist has been stabbed to death in Jerusalem.

The woman, thought to be in her early 20s, was attacked while she travelled on a light rail train near the Old City, which was packed as Christians celebrated Good Friday and Jews marked Passover.

The woman was rushed to a medical centre but died soon after.

Israeli police say she was attacked by a Palestinian man who stabbed her repeatedly.

Two other people, including a 30-year-old woman, received minor injuries in the incident this morning when the tram came to an emergency stop, it was reported.

The Times of Israel said paramedics from Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national ambulance service, tried to save the injured woman and carried out cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on her before taking her to Jerusalem's Haddash Hospital Mount Scopus.

"EMTs and paramedics treating and performing CPR on a woman in her 20s. MDA teams evacuating 25 year old woman in critical condition with stab wounds to her upper body part to hospital.

"MDA teams also treated 30 y/o pregnant woman and 50 y/o man who were injured during the incident."

Zeevi Hanfling, a emergency technician, said: "Police officers led me into the train where a young girl was lying unconscious (with) stab wounds to her upper body part."

Police detained a 57-year-old man at the scene, and a spokesman told the Times of Israel he appeared to suffer from "mental problems".

Superintendent Micky Rosenfeld said the attack, which took place near Tzahal Square, was carried out by an "Arab terrorist".

Tweeting a photo of an apparently blood-stained knife, he said: "Arab Terrorist arrested who carried out attack is from Rasel Amud", adding that security in the area had been increased.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are in touch with local authorities following an incident in Jerusalem on April 14."</s>JERUSALEM — Israeli police say a Palestinian man stabbed an Israeli woman in Jerusalem, seriously wounding her before forces apprehended him at the scene.

Spokeswoman Luba Samri said the man attacked the woman in her early 20s as she traveled on the light rail near Jerusalem’s Old City. The area was packed with Christians celebrating Good Friday and Jews celebrating Passover.

Since September 2015, Palestinians have killed 42 Israelis and two visiting Americans, mainly in stabbings, car ramming assaults and shooting attacks.

Israeli forces have killed at least 243 Palestinians during that time, most of them identified as attackers by Israeli authorities.

Israel says the bloodshed is fueled by a Palestinian campaign of incitement. Palestinians say it is from frustration over decades of Israeli rule in territory they claim.</s>JERUSALEM, April 14 (Reuters) - A Palestinian man fatally stabbed a British woman on Jerusalem's transit network on Friday, Israeli police said, as Christians marked Good Friday and Muslims held prayers at respective holy sites nearby.

The incident occurred in a train carriage on the light rail network near Jerusalem's municipality building and the walled Old City. TV footage showed blood on the floor of the carriage with police officers restraining a man and carrying him away.

Israeli police said the victim was a 25-year-old British national, though it was initially unclear whether she also held Israeli citizenship.

The Shin Bet domestic security service identified the assailant as 57-year-old Jamil Tamimi and said he was a Palestinian from Arab East Jerusalem with mental health problems who was convicted in 2011 for sexually assaulting his daughter.

"This is one of many instances where a Palestinian suffering personal strife ... chooses to carry out an attack in order to find release for his problems," the Shin Bet statement said.

It added that the assailant had previously tried to commit suicide by attempting to swallow a razor blade.

Friday is sometimes a day of heightened tensions in Jerusalem's Old City when tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers come to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

On Good Friday each year, Christians hold a procession along the Via Dolorosa in the Old City, retracing what they believe was the route that Jesus took to his crucifixion.

A wave of street attacks by Palestinians in Israel, Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank since October 2015 has previously killed 37 Israelis and two American tourists. At least 242 Palestinians have died during the period of sporadic violence.

Israel says at least 162 of the Palestinians killed had launched stabbing, shooting or car ramming attacks. Others died during clashes and protests.

Israel has accused the Palestinian leadership of inciting the violence. The Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank, denies incitement and charges that in many cases, Israel has used excessive force in thwarting attackers armed with rudimentary weapons. (Writing by Ori Lewis; editing by Mark Heinrich)</s>A British student who was visiting Jerusalem on an exchange program was stabbed to death Friday on the city’s light rail line, authorities said.

Paramedics rushed Hannah Bladon, 20, to the hospital, police said, but she died shortly after she arrived there.

In a statement Saturday by the UK Foreign Office, her relatives said they were “devastated by this senseless and tragic attack.”

“Hannah was the most caring, sensitive and compassionate daughter you could ever wish for,” her family said. “She was driven and passionate, and her death leaves so much promise unfulfilled.”

Bladon was a talented musician studying for a degree in religion, theology and archaeology at the University of Birmingham in central England, her family said. She was on a student exchange program with the Rothberg International School at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and had been taking part in an archaeological dig Friday morning.

“Our thoughts are with those who were injured and the family of the British woman who was killed in the terror attack in Jerusalem today,” the Israeli Embassy in the United Kingdom said on Twitter.

A suspect was arrested at the scene. Security officials identified him as Jameel Tamimi, a 57-year-old Palestinian man from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras al-Amud.

Despite the Israeli Embassy’s characterization of the stabbing as a “terror attack,” the alleged perpetrator’s motive is unknown.

Tamimi suffers from “personal, mental, or moral hardship,” according to the Israel Security Agency.

Tamimi was convicted of sexually abusing his daughter in 2011 and attempted to commit suicide this year by swallowing a razor blade, the agency said.

The attack comes with police on heightened alert due to heavy tourism during the Easter and Passover holidays.</s>Woman fatally stabbed by Palestinian in Jerusalem, authorities say

A 25-year-old woman was stabbed to death on the Jerusalem light rail line Friday afternoon, according to Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. Paramedics rushed her to the hospital, authorities said, but she died shortly after arriving. The suspect, identified by security officials as a 57-year-old Palestinian man, was arrested at the scene.</s>A 23-year-old female student has been stabbed to death in an attack on a train in Jerusalem Friday.

She was repeatedly stabbed on board a train in the Old City of Jerusalem whilst visiting on a tourist trip, a pregnant woman and a 50-year-old man are also believed to have been injured in the attack.

Magen David Adom is Israel’s national ambulance service said Friday on Twitter: “MDA EMT Zeevi Hanfling “Police officers led me into the train where a young girl was lying unconscious W stab wounds 2 her upper body part.”

In a separate tweet: “#MDAteams evacuating 25 year old woman in critical condition with stab wounds to her upper body part to hospital.”

They said in another tweet: “#MDAteams also treated 30 y/o pregnant woman and 50 y/o man who were injured during the incident.”

Israeli security service identified the attacker and said he is a 57-year-old Palestinian who suffers with mental health issues, he has been detained by the police.
A British student is stabbed and killed during an attack on a light-rail train in Jerusalem, Israel. Two other passengers are injured. A Palestinian man with a history of mental problems and other issues is taken into custody by Israeli authorities. Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon linked the attack to terrorism.