Police: Arabs on Har HaBayis Planned to Stab Officers

Two Arabs who were arrested on Har HaBayis Wednesday for carrying knives were planning a terror attack, police said Thursday. The Arabs, teenage residents of Arab neighborhoods of the city, were found carrying large knives, hidden in a backpack. Police said they planned to attack officers at the site.

“High awareness and quick thinking of security forces led to their arrest,” police said in a statement. The two will be brought before a judge for an extension of their remand Thursday. Police said this was the second time in recent months that they were able to thwart stabbing attacks on Har HaBayis.

Wednesday was set to be a “day of rage,” with Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas terror leaders calling for rioting in the wake of President Trump’s “deal of the century” peace program. While unrest was reported in several spots, including in Gush Etzion where rioters burned tires, there were few reports of demonstrations in PA-controlled areas. The thwarted stabbing attack was the most serious incident Wednesday, police said.