Tel Aviv Stabbing: American Tourist, 29, Killed In Israel By Palestinian As Joe Biden Began Meeting Nearby


An American tourist was stabbed to death by a Palestinian in Tel Aviv as Vice President Joe Biden held a meeting just a mile away. The attack occurred at the port of Jaffa area, which is popular among tourists visiting Israel. The attacker allegedly ran through the area stabbing people in their cars and those walking down the street. The man, reportedly a 22-year-old Palestinian man, killed the 29-year-old American tourist in the stabbing before Israeli police were able to confront the attacker.

The Daily Mail reports that a 29-year-old American tourist was killed in the Tel Aviv stabbing. The attack came as US Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Israel and began his tour across the country. In fact, Biden was in a meeting just a few miles away from the Port of Jaffa location when the stabbing took place. According to local reports, the attacker ran amok through the tourist area boardwalk of the Port of Jaffa, stabbing people as they walked down the street and sat in their cars. The stabbing left the one American tourist dead and four others in critical condition. In total, there were a reported 10 wounded and one deceased.

The attacker was shot dead by Israeli police after being confronted but left a bloody trail in his wake. Police noted that the attacker was responsible for two separate attack at the port of Jaffa before he eventually ran down the boardwalk area which is popular with tourists and began stabbing people as they walked by. The reports indicate that the deceased American was a male and that his wife was also stabbed and listed in critical condition. Additionally, four others were severely injured, with one more person escaping with “light” injuries. In all, it was reported that 10 people were injured and one killed in the Tel Aviv stabbing.

The names of the injured and deceased have not been released, but local reports indicate that at least two were American, while another victim was a Russian tourist and a pregnant woman of unknown origin. Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai revealed on Army Radio that the Palestinian began stabbing at random, and did not necessarily target his victims. However, the port of Jaffa is near a beach and a known tourist destination.

“A terrorist, an illegal resident who came from somewhere in the Palestinian territories, came here to Jaffa and embarked on a run … along the boardwalk. On his way he indiscriminately stabbed people.”

The moment the attacker fled, the police were captured on video and shows the attacker stabbing one last victim in a car before running towards the police. The video cuts out just before police shoot the suspect dead.

The attack occurred as Vice President Joe Biden arrived to Israel for a two-day visit. It was noted that Biden was just one mile away from the port of Jaffa when the stabbings took place. He was at a meeting at the Peres Center for Peace as the American was killed outside. The Daily Mail was told by someone on Biden’s staff that the vice president was aware of the attack but had no plans of altering his schedule at the time. Instead, his meetings in Israel would go on as planned.

Israel National News reports that this is the third attack in “quick succession,” with a reported shooting in Jerusalem and a stabbing attack at nearby Petah Tikva.

[Photo by Oded Balilty/AP Photo]

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