BREAKING: 2 Murdered, 2 Wounded in Jihadi Attack in Northern Israel

(photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE) ByTZVI JASPER, JERUSALEM POST STAFF DECEMBER 26, 2025 13:41Updated: DECEMBER 26, 2025 15:55

Once again, the grim reality of life in Israel asserts itself with brutal clarity. On December 26, 2025, a Palestinian terrorist carried out a combined ramming and stabbing attack across multiple sites in the north of the country, murdering two Israeli civilians and wounding others before being neutralized.

The attack began near Beit She'an, where the terrorist deliberately rammed his vehicle into pedestrians. A 68-year-old man, later identified as Shimshon Mordechai (or Mordechai Shimshon), a resident of Beit She'an, was struck and fatally injured. Nearby, a 16-year-old boy was also hit by the vehicle, sustaining light injuries; he was treated at the scene and evacuated to hospital.

As Magen David Adom EMT Daniel Mousai recounted: "When we arrived at the scene, we saw the boy sitting inside a car, conscious and suffering from injuries to his limbs." "Citizens who were there told us that he had been hit by a fleeing vehicle and they helped him in the first moments."

Mousai continued: Just as the team was preparing to transport the boy, they received word of another victim nearby. "I immediately got to him and saw a 68-year-old man lying on the side of the road, suffering from a serious chest injury. Together with the intensive care unit team, we provided medical treatment and performed CPR, but his injury was fatal and we had to pronounce him dead on the spot."

The terrorist then fled, driving along Route 71 where he stopped to stab an 18- or 19-year-old young woman, Aviv Maor, who was killed at the scene.

Continuing toward Afula, the attacker attempted another assault. A 37-year-old man was moderately wounded there, according to a witness speaking to i24news: "The terrorist missed him and ran into an electric pole." "He got out of the vehicle, picked up a huge rock, and brought it down on his head. Immediately afterward the police arrived and took him down."

The terrorist, identified as Ahmad Abu al-Rub (or similar silly variations), a resident of Qabatiya in the West Bank, had illegally infiltrated Israel days earlier. Reports indicate he was employed by an Israeli citizen and used his employer's vehicle in the attack. He was ultimately neutralized by security forces and a civilian bystander, and evacuated to hospital in moderate condition.

In response, Defense Minister Israel Katz directed the IDF to prepare operations in Qabatiya. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for strengthened Israeli control over Judea and Samaria and an end to the employment of illegal residents. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar pointed to the Palestinian Authority's ongoing incitement and payments to terrorists.

Hamas, predictably, praised the carnage, declaring that "Resistance in all its forms is a legitimate right guaranteed by international law and humanitarian principles for peoples living under occupation."

President Isaac Herzog conveyed condolences to local leaders, while the IDF Chief of Staff conducted assessments.

This is yet another reminder—were one needed—of the persistent ideology that drives such acts: an unyielding refusal to accept Jewish sovereignty in any part of the land, coupled with a culture that too often celebrates the murderer as martyr. While the world rushes to equivocate or look away, Israelis bury their dead and carry on. 

This story remains developing.

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UPDATE: Bondi Beach terror attack update: death toll rises, shooters were father-son

A horrifying act of anti-Semitic terrorism struck Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday. We have now learned that it was a father-son duo who opened fire on families and celebrants gathered for a Hanukkah event, killing 16 people, including one of the scumwafers, and injuring at least 40 others.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed in a Monday press conference that the perpetrators were a 50-year-old anti-Semitic licensed gun owner and his 24-year-old crap-weasel son. The father was killed at the scene, while the son remains in critical but stable condition in hospital under guard. Authorities are not seeking additional suspects.

"There was very little knowledge of either of these men by the authorities," Lanyon said. "The person was determined to be entitled to have a firearms license and…the person had a firearms license for a number of years for which there were no incidents." Perhaps he was waiting for the opportune time.

The father had held his gun license for a decade and owned six legally registered firearms, all of which have now been recovered, some from the scene and others during searches of properties in Campsie and Bonnyrigg. Police also discovered two rudimentary improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at one of the homes; bomb disposal units rendered them safe after confirming they were active.

Additional evidence of IEDs was found in a vehicle near the attack site, Lanyon noted, with specialists on scene handling the threat.

The shooting erupted around 6:45 p.m. local time during "Chanukah By The Sea," an annual public celebration organized by Chabad of Bondi that had drawn hundreds to light the first Chanukah candle. Victims ranged in age from 10 to 87, and at least 40 remained hospitalized, including two police officers.

Police have declared the incident a targeted terrorist attack on the Jewish community the worst against Jews outside the October 7, 2023, Hamas atrocities.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed the attack during an event in Jerusalem: "At these very moments, our sisters and brothers in Sydney, Australia, have been attacked by vile terrorists in a very cruel attack on Jews who went to light the first candle of Chanukah on Bondi Beach," Herzog said. "Our hearts go out to them. The heart of the entire nation of Israel misses a beat at this very moment, as we pray for the recovery of the wounded, we pray for them and we pray for those who lost their lives."

Herzog went further, urging Australian leaders to confront rising anti-Semitism. He called on the Australian government to "seek action and fight against the enormous wave of anti-Semitism which is plaguing Australian society."

This tragedy underscores a grim reality: even in nations long seen as safe havens, hatred can turn festive gatherings into scenes of carnage, and this has become all too common with festive Jewish gatherings.

As investigations continue, the focus must remain on justice for the victims and rooting out the ideologies that fuel such evil.

If you like Brain Flushings and want to Buy Me a Coffee, I would appreciate it, as it supports my work. Obviously, there is no pressure but I certainly wouldn't stop you. Imagine, you could be the first on your block to do that and your friends will thank you . . . for some reason.

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Blinken arrives in Israel as US pushes for Israel to stop winning

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel for the 11th time on Tuesday, since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. His mission is to get Israel to stop winning the war an leave Iran alone. Although no new negotiations have been scheduled since Yahya Sinwar was killed by a young IDF soldier, the U.S. is hoping that this may rekindle renewed talks and maybe a hostage deal can be done.

Blinken is set to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and families of the hostages being held in Gaza by the Hamas terrorists. Afterward, Blinken plans to travel to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE to address regional tensions.

Since Iran launched missiles on Israel earlier this month, the U.S. views the situation as dangerous. Alleged U.S. President Joseph Biden mush-mouthed to IDF troops to carefully consider how they respond to avoid a larger regional war. So if they are fired upon, should they fire back? If they are being attacked by a terrorist trying to ram his car into them, should they try to jump in and take away his keys? If Iran launches missiles into Israel, should Israelis send them a nasty-gram with chocolate? 

However, U.S. officials admit that Israel is preparing for a potential retaliatory strike against Iranian targets, with Blinken expected to caution against any action that could escalate the situation further.

In other words, grin and bear it, Jews. It's your fate.

Blinken says he's Jewish but is he really?

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St. Paddy's Day in Israel

Tomorrow is Israel's big election where the current Prime Minister, Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu and his Likud party is in a close race with the centrist Zionist party. The latest polls show the Zionist party is slightly ahead.

The Center-left Zionist party is led by Tsipi Livni and Isaac Herzog, both predicting that an "upheaval" is in the wings. If this is true, then I believe Israel is doomed. If the government goes "dove," then the Hamas fox will eat it for dinner.

Bibi vowed in a Monday interview, that if he is re-elected, a Palestinian state will not be established. For those of you who are not anti-Semitic and perhaps even pro-Israel, that's a good thing. Let's be clear, Hamas wants the total destruction of Israel and the Muslims in Gaza and throughout the Islamic world, want the same thing.

It isn't about land--it's about hating Jews.

Bibi made it clear that if Israel withdrew from the current occupied areas to allow for a Palestinian state to occupy that land, it would spell disaster as it would be taken over by jihadists whose main ambition in life is death and eternal Paradise with 72 virgins, young boys and rivers of wine. 

The surest way to have the gift of Paradise is to kill Jews and infidels, but especially Jews. Mohammad hated them. The Koran hates them. Allah hates them. (Funny, you'd think a wise and all-powerful god such as Allah would know better than to create a group of people he hates and ask humans, who are not as powerful than he is, to kill them. Maybe this Allah god isn't all that powerful, after all.)

Back in 2005, Israel peacefully withdrew from the Gaza Strip. Enter Hamas, who soon started escalating their attacks on Israeli civilians. Livni and Herzog believe these barbarians can be reasoned with--they are useful idiots.

In a speech he gave on Monday at Har Homa, Bibi said, "The choice is symbolic: the Likud led by me, that will continue to stand firmly for (Israel's) vital interests, compared with a left-wing government . . . ready to accept any dictate."

Herzog, like Obama, promises to repair ties with the Palestinian Islamists. It's difficult to tell if they are both simply naive, simply simple, or have other plans in mind that isn't being spoken. In Obama's case, I wouldn't doubt it.

But at the very least, the Obama administration should stay out of Israel's political affairs and stop trying to influence the outcome of this election. There is now a Senate probe exploring the OneVoice Movement and its relationship with V15 from Israel.

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