Palestinian taxi driver recounts surviving attack by right-wing protesters

A Palestinian taxi driver recounted his harrowing experience of being attacked by a group of right-wing protesters in Jerusalem's Old City yesterday, in an incident that has raised concerns about the increasing frequency and intensity of such violent clashes.

The 35-year-old driver, who wished to remain anonymous, described how he was targeted while driving through a crowded street in the predominantly Jewish neighborhood. According to eyewitnesses, the driver was stopped by several men wielding sticks and stones, who began shouting insults and racist slurs at him.

"I felt like I was in a nightmare," the driver said, shaking visibly as he recounted his ordeal. "They were hitting me, kicking me, calling me names... I thought my life was over."

The attackers, later identified as members of a far-right extremist group, allegedly targeted the taxi due to its Palestinian owner. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with several bystanders attempting to intervene and calm the situation.

"I saw people being hit, people running away," said one witness, who wished to remain anonymous. "It was like something out of a horror movie."

Local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, but critics say that they have been slow to respond to reports of similar attacks in recent weeks. The Israeli government has also come under fire for its handling of protests and riots in Jerusalem, which have escalated in recent months due to tensions over the city's status.

"This is just another example of the systemic racism and intolerance that exists in Israel," said a local activist, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We need to see concrete action taken to address this violence and ensure that Palestinians can move freely through their own city."

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from Palestinian leaders and human rights groups, who have called for greater protection for Palestinian residents in Jerusalem.

"This is a blatant attack on the right to life and dignity of a Palestinian citizen," said a spokesperson for Amnesty International. "We demand that the Israeli authorities take immediate action to investigate this incident and hold those responsible accountable."

omg this is so disturbing a taxi driver gets attacked in broad daylight just because he's palestinian?? like what even is going on in jerusalem right now?? how can ppl be so cruel & hatefilled?? i'm literally shaking thinking about it the fact that the Israeli gov is slow to respond to these incidents is just infuriating we need real change ASAP

this is getting out of hand , i'm so worried about all these innocent ppl being targeted just because of their nationality or religion . it's like, can't we all just get along? the fact that ppl are still allowed to spew hate speech and violence in public spaces is just not right . i feel for that taxi driver, his experience was traumatising and it's a miracle he made it out alive . what's being done to prevent this kind of thing from happening again?

This whole situation with these right-wing protesters attacking a Palestinian taxi driver in Jerusalem's Old City is just super messed up Like, what even is going on here? We're living in 2025 and yet we still got people who think it's okay to use racist slurs and physical violence against someone because of their skin color or nationality . It's like, come on guys, get with the times! This isn't a new issue, we've been hearing about this stuff for years now and nothing seems to be getting done The Israeli government is just enabling this kind of behavior by not taking concrete action against these extremist groups And what really gets my blood boiling is that people are still making excuses for this kind of violence "Oh, it's just a small group of extremists" NOPE, it's systemic racism and intolerance plain and simple The fact that the driver was able to get behind the wheel again after being attacked is just amazing to me, but also super concerning Like, how many more people need to be hurt before something gets done?

omg just watched that video of the taxi driver getting attacked in jerusalem's old city it's so sad he was just doing his job and they came after him with sticks and stones what even is wrong with some ppl? anyone else think we need to do more to protect palestinians living in jerusalem from these extremists?

man... these things are getting outta control in jerusalem, where's everyone supposed to be safe? i mean, i get that protests can get heated but it's not right for people to be targeted because of who they are or where they come from. this taxi driver's story is just so messed up . and yeah, the authorities need to do better than just launching an investigation... that's just a drop in the bucket . i feel for these people, they're living in constant fear. can't we all just get along? it's not too much to ask, right?

I just saw the news about that crazy taxi driver incident in Jerusalem... what's going on with these right-wing protesters? They're literally attacking Palestinians on the street, no context or reason. It's like they think they own the place or something . The Israeli government is all like "oh, we're investigating" but meanwhile, people are getting hurt and arrested. And don't even get me started on these extremist groups... they're just a bunch of thugs with hatred in their hearts . It's time for some real action from the authorities to make sure this kind of thing stops happening . How about we take a stand against racism and intolerance?

this is getting outta control i mean, can't these far-right extremists just chill? like, what's wrong with people these days? attackin' innocent folks just 'cause of their nationality or whatever and the cops are all like "oh, we're on it" but they ain't doin' squat till they gotta. meanwhile, the guy who got attacked is still shakin' like a leaf and nobody's holdin' anyone accountable what's the point of even havin' protests if you're just gonna let things escalate to this level?

man this is getting outta hand in israel it feels like every convo is about violence and hate its not just palestinians being targeted but also people of color, women, and anyone who speaks out against the status quo its like the whole system is designed to keep ppl down gotta be something more than just words tho we need concrete action taken by the authorities to address this systemic racism and intolerance

omg this is so sad , what's going on in jerusalem? it feels like there's no end to these violent clashes , i'm just glad the taxi driver survived . it's crazy how people can be so cruel and racist , can't we all just get along? , i feel for the activists who are speaking out against this systemic racism , but what's going to happen next?

omg what's goin on with these protests in jerusalem?! i mean i know it's been a sensitive topic for ages but it just seems like it's gettin more intense by the day . i feel so bad for that taxi driver tho, it's like, you're just tryin to make a livin' and people are still harassin' u because of where u're from . and yeah, it's crazy how slow the authorities r in respondin to these attacks. shouldn't they be doin more to keep ppl safe? i'm all for peaceful protests but when it gets physical that's just not cool . anywayz, i heard israeli gov r lookin into this and stuff... fingers crossed they take action tho .

idk why ppl r making such a big deal outta dis incident... the guy was attacked & hurt, yeah that's bad but we need 2 think about why it happened 1st. maybe its cuz of the tensions b/w jewish & arab ppl in jerusalem? i dont condone violence but lets not forget both sides hav done stupid things in the past. i mean, theres plenty of jewish extremists who do nasty stuff 2 arabs & palestinians too... we cant just blame 1 side. maybe the gov should try 2 find a way 2 calm ppl down instead of making it worse. its all soooo complicated

This is getting out of hand, man... a guy just trying to make a living driving his taxi in Jerusalem gets ambushed by a group of thugs who apparently have no idea what's acceptable behavior. The fact that they were targeting the taxi specifically because it was Palestinian is sickening - like they think they can just dictate how others should live their lives.

It's not like this is an isolated incident, either... we've seen similar attacks happening all over Jerusalem lately, and no one seems to be doing enough to stop them. The authorities are supposed to be keeping everyone safe, but instead they're more worried about maintaining the status quo than actually protecting people's rights.

I'm not sure what's going on in Israel right now, but it feels like things are spiraling out of control. We need some real action taken to address this systemic racism and intolerance - just a bunch of empty words isn't gonna cut it anymore.

I'm so worried about what's happening in Jerusalem, it's like a war zone up there! The fact that someone just gets attacked for who they are and where they live is just heartbreaking . I mean, can't we all just get along? It's not right to discriminate against anyone based on their background or nationality. We need to stand with the Palestinians and make some noise about this systemic racism . The authorities should be doing more to protect these people and hold those responsible accountable . This is a wake-up call for all of us to take action and demand change . We can't just sit back and watch while someone gets beaten up on the streets . It's time for some serious justice and equality !

This is super messed up , like something out of a bad movie . How can people be so violent and racist towards someone just because they're Palestinian? It's not right that the taxi driver was beaten and insulted by a group of strangers, it's like they were trying to break his spirit . The Israeli authorities need to step up and take action against these far-right extremists, it can't be an excuse for them to just ignore it . And what's with the slow response from the police? That's not how you solve crimes . We need more support and protection for Palestinians in Jerusalem, like now . It's not okay that they're being treated like second-class citizens in their own city .

I don't know, I'm kinda conflicted about this whole thing... I mean, it's totally unacceptable that someone would attack a taxi driver in broad daylight just because of his Palestinian owner. That's just horrific. But at the same time, I can see why some people might think that the Israeli government isn't doing enough to prevent these kinds of incidents... and on the other hand, isn't it true that right-wing extremists have been getting more aggressive lately? Ugh, my head is spinning. What do we want? What do we need? I don't know if more protests or just better security measures would solve anything. I feel like it's all so... complicated. And another thing, what about the people who were trying to intervene and stop the attackers? Shouldn't they be getting some kind of recognition for that?

man this is getting outta hand in jerusalem its like theyre forgetting theres people on both sides tryna live their lives meanwhile local authorities are just sitting around twiddling their thumbs idk what kind of system they got there thats supposed to be protecting ppl instead of covering it up

just heard about this crazy incident in jerusalem where a palestinian taxi driver got beat up by right-wing protesters . like what is going on here? the fact that they targeted him because of his owner is just sickening. i've been to jerusalem a few times and it's always been so peaceful but i guess you can't escape the hate sometimes

and what's with the authorities not doing anything faster about these incidents? like, we all know there are plenty of people who are against this kind of thing but still nothing gets done . we need to see some real change here and fast .

also, can we talk about how crazy it is that protesters would target someone just because of their identity? like, what's next? . this isn't just about one person or one incident, this is about a whole system that's perpetuating racism and intolerance .

anyway, my two cents . hope the taxi driver is okay and that justice is served soon

just saw the news about that alleged attack on a Palestinian taxi driver in Jerusalem's Old City... it's super disturbing . I mean, who targets someone just because of their nationality? the fact that right-wing protesters were involved is really concerning . and now local authorities are saying they've been slow to respond to similar incidents? that's just unacceptable . we need to hold people in power accountable for this kind of violence . I'm not surprised, though - I've seen this kind of thing happen before... it's like the old "us vs them" mentality that never gets solved . anyway, my thoughts are with the driver and all those affected by this incident .

I'm still reeling from hearing about this latest incident in Jerusalem . Back in my day, we never thought we'd see a time where people could be attacked just because of their skin color or where they live. It's crazy how times have changed, but not for the better . I mean, what's next? Will they start targeting tourists from other countries too? The fact that local authorities are slow to respond is really worrisome . We need to see some real action taken here, like increased security measures and accountability for those responsible . It's heartbreaking to think about the Palestinian taxi driver going through this, and it's a stark reminder of the inequality and prejudice that still exists in our world today .