Daijiworld Media Network – Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Aug 2: Israeli police have launched an investigation after an Arab bus driver was allegedly assaulted by a group of teenagers while his bus was halted at a traffic signal in Jerusalem, leaving him unconscious and seriously injured.
The incident occurred on Saturday at the Ramot intersection when the driver, identified only as M., had stopped his Superbus vehicle at a red light. According to police and the transport company, several youths began banging on the sides of the bus.
When the driver opened the window to find out what was happening, he was allegedly punched repeatedly, causing him to lose consciousness. He suffered facial injuries and lost four teeth in the attack.
After regaining consciousness a few minutes later, the driver said he heard the attackers continuing to threaten and abuse him. Despite his injuries, he managed to drive away from the intersection, stop the bus safely and alert the police before being taken to hospital for treatment.
"I had only just started my shift. I opened the window and was hit with tremendous force. When I regained consciousness, I could taste blood in my mouth and heard shouting and curses all around me," the driver said.
He added that he briefly lost control of the vehicle before safely parking it, saying the incident could have resulted in a major tragedy had passengers been on board.
The attack drew sharp condemnation from political leaders and transport unions.
Hadash MK Jafar Farah described the assault as part of a growing climate of racism and violence, calling for strict action against those responsible and urging authorities to ensure equal protection for all citizens.
The Koach LaOvdim labour union also condemned the attack, saying violence against public transport workers had crossed a dangerous line. The union urged authorities to quickly identify and arrest the attackers using CCTV footage and called for enhanced security measures for bus drivers.
Superbus, the operator of the vehicle, said it was fully cooperating with the police investigation and providing all necessary support to the injured driver and his family.
Police said efforts were underway to identify those involved in the assault. No arrests had been reported at the time of filing the report.