"Suddenly I saw a drawn knife" • attacked avrech speaks

"In middle of sleeping I feel someone touching me, I turn my head back, and notice a Palestine with a knife," recalls today (Tuesday), to B'Chadrei Charedim the avrech David V. attacked last night by a Palestinian on the bus to Beitar Illit .

Yesterday (Sunday) an avrech was attacked during his trip on the 128 bus line of the Ellit Company from Beit Shemesh to Beitar Illiit. This was when the bus was on the 375 route, near the Beitar checkpoint, northwest of Betar Illit, a Palestinian riding the bus asked the driver to open the door not at the station - and the driver refused.

In response, the Palestinian pulled out a knife and threatened the driver, whilst cutting passengers peyos. The driver immediately stopped the bus and opened the doors. Palestinian got off the bus and fled.

Large police forces and helicopter combed the area.

The attacked avrech is David V. age 30 from Beitar Illit, a Magid Shiur at Chemdas Torah in Beit Shemesh.

"I travel from my work place in Beit Shemesh to Beitar Illit. I got on the bus and sat on the right hand side. Later on at one of the bus stops, a Palestinian got on the bus and sat on the left hand side. I chatted to a friend sitting behind me until he moved to sit next to me."

The Palestinian, who saw my friend sit next to me, got up and sat behind us whilst earing earphones. I am used to seeing Palestinians on buses so I wasn’t wary of anything. Upon leaving Beit Shemesh I fell asleep.

Suddenly in middle of sleeping I felt someone touching me, I turned my head and saw the Arab holding a knife in his hand after cutting off my left peyos, and by miracle he didn’t physically harm me."

The Arab got up and screamed at the driver "Aftah al baab" (open the door). The passengers all fled to the door out of fear he will harm someone with the knife. The front door was full of people as well as the back door with women and children.

The Arab who saw he won't be able to get out through the front door, whilst waving the knife hysterically, went towards the back door when the driver opened the door, and when a few women got out the bys, he got off the bus and fled into the forest."
Police forces and IDF who rushed to the scene began searches, but until now the Arab wasn’t arrested.

Isnt it exceptional that an Arab rides this bus line?
Nearly every day Palestinians use this bus, some of them I already recognize, but there were never any problems. Upon reaching the checkpoint they are checked and continue.

How did the yeshiva students greet you this morning?
Late last night I ordered a fake peyos and this morning I came to yeshiva as normal. I didn’t tell anyone but I saw that some of them heard about it.
Do you think the event was a nationalist?

"Palestinian must have feared to hurt me more than he did in order not to aggravate the act. If he would have been delayed more time he would have been caught immediately. What he probably did not know, that the buses installed security cameras, documenting the case.

Did you say hagomel this morning?

"I asked a rabbi, and he said that since the knife never was attached to my body, no need to. However I do not stop thanking Hashem for the miracle."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!