Palestinian attackers stabbed two Israelis to death in separate attacks in Tel Aviv and the West Bank.  These attacks come amid continuing tension in parts of Israel and Palestinian territories following the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli soldiers last Wednesday.

On Monday evening, Israeli police said a Palestinian man stabbed three Israelis at the entrance of the Alon Shvut Jewish settlement in the West Bank, killing a young woman. 

“When we arrived there was a commotion and on the road adjacent to the bus stop lay a young woman of 26 who was unconscious with several stab wounds to her upper body,” said paramedic Hanan Meyer.  “We gave her initial medical treatment and transported her to the intensive care ambulance where we performed advanced resuscitation.  Unfortunately, after a few minutes we had to determine her as dead.”

A 26-year old man and a 50-year old man were also injured, but will recover.  The woman is identified as Dalia Lemkos, a survivor of an early stabbing attack in the same area in 2006.  A guard shot and wounded the suspect in Monday’s attack, identified as 30-year old Maher Hamdi Hashalamun – who served four years in prison for throwing a firebomb at Israeli forces.

Hours before the attack at the settlement, a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli soldier near a train station in Tel Aviv.  The soldier, reported to be in his twenties, died of his wounds in hospital late on Monday night.  The attacker was arrested and was being interrogated by police.