The Natural Peace Tours NGO, which arranges for one day entry passes for PA Arabs wishing to tour and become acquainted with Israeli society, confessed they had no idea one of their clients would grab a sharp object and stab four innocent Israeli civilians – one out on the street near Tel Aviv’s Atarim Square and three more inside Leonardo Beach Hotel.
While police continue to investigate Sunday’s attack, on Monday a representative of the NPT management spoke to Army Radio—on condition of remaining anonymous—and admitted, “We didn’t take this into consideration.” This, meaning that, as documented on CCTV, the Arab visitor sponsored by NPT grabbed a sharp object, stabbed a pedestrian on the street, then attacked the hotel gallery owner and her spouse, then stabbed a male guest in the lobby and tried to run out—breaking the glass entrance door.
The stabber was finally stopped and neutralized by the gallery owner’s husband, Claudio Wengerowicz, who, unarmed, jumped the attacker near the lobby’s revolving door.
The anonymous NPT representative noted that now his group has frozen all it activities, and are following police instructions. “In the future,” he promised, “we will really go in again and check our options, whether to continue what we’re doing or not.”
The group has suspended its Facebook page.