Eight people were injured, one critically, this morning (Wednesday) when a
terrorist opened fire on tourists passing through the Israeli side of the
Yitzhak Rabin Arava Crossing on the Jordan-Israel border between Eilat and Aqaba.
Dr. Tzvi Epstein, director of the Yoseftal Hospital in Eilat, reported that five
of the victims were injured by the gunfire and three were being treated for
hysteria. One of the victims sustained serious head injuries and was
transported by helicopter to the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva.

According to reports from the scene, the terrorist was concealed in a truck
passing through the Jordanian checkpoint. He leaped out and opened fire towards
the group of tourists as he charged towards the Israeli side of the border.
The terrorist, a Jordanian truck driver, was killed by Israeli port security
officers. Jordanian troops arrived on the scene and both Israeli and Jordanian
helicopters took to the air in search of potential accomplices in the attack.

The injured tourists were part of a large group from South America who were
passing through the Arava Crossing from Jordan to Israel.

The crossing was immediately closed as Israeli and Jordanian port authorities
handled the aftermath of the terrorist attack.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 20th, 2003 and is filed under hotnews.