Israeli woman soldier stabbed by 'Palestinian'

A young Israeli soldier was in a serious condition on Thursday after being stabbed by a Palestinian man on board the light rail in an east Jerusalem settlement district, police said. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the woman "was stabbed by a man suspected of being a Palestinian in Pisgat Zeev, apparently on board the light rail. The doors of the train then opened, and the stabber fled the scene." Shortly afterwards, police confirmed the suspect was Palestinian, saying he had been arrested at the Qalandia checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah. A paramedic who treated the victim, a 19-year-old soldier wearing uniform, told public radio she was stabbed in the chest and the arm and evacuated to hospital in serious condition. Israeli army spokeswoman Avital Leibovich confirmed the woman was a soldier in a posting on Twitter, saying: "A female soldier was wounded due to stabbing attack in Jerusalem." There was no immediate indication of the attacker's motives. Israel's first-ever light rail began operating in August after many delays. The 14-kilometre (nine-mile) route begins at Mount Herzl, passes through west Jerusalem's main artery and skirts the Old City, before heading through east Jerusalem and ending at Pisgat Zeev.