JERUSALEM, Israel – On March 6, a gunman infiltrated the Mercaz Harav yeshiva, a Jewish seminary, in Western Jerusalem and opened fire.  A witness stated that he heard both single and automatic gunfire, which lasted for about ten minutes.  Eli Dein, the director of Israel’s rescue service, said “there are at least seven killed and 10 people wounded.”  Paramedics said that some of them are in serious-to-critical condition.

Yitzhak Dadon, a student, stated that he waited on the roof of a nearby building and was armed with a rifle.  Dadon said that the gunman “came out of the library spraying automatic fire” and when “the terrorist came to the entrance and I shot him twice in the head.”

Initially there was some confusion surrounding the facts of the incident.  Jerusalem police commander Aharon Franco corrected initial reports claiming that there were two gunmen.  Shmuel Ben Ruby, a police spokesman, stated that it appeared that the gunman was wearing an explosives vest.  However, the vest was a belt was holding extra ammunition.

Yedioth News reports that the Galilee Freedom Brigades, an Israeli-Arab group, claimed responsibility for the attack.  Israeli media reports that the gunman was a resident of East Jerusalem.

In addition, after hearing news of the attack, Gazan residents fired rifles in celebration.  Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas official, called the operation “heroic” and stated that it was “a natural reaction to the Zionist massacre.”

For more information, please see:
The Associated Press – Jerusalem Seminary Attacked, 7 Dead – 6 March 2008

BBC – Gunmen Kill Eight at Israel School – 6 March 2008

Reuters – Palestinian Gunmen Kill 8 in Jerusalem Jewish School – 6 March 2008

Yedioth News – 8 Killed in Jerusalem Terror Attack – 6 March 2008