Special to the Ledger

Eden Fresno

Thousands of people gathered in Nazareth Ilit’s military cemetery on Wednesday evening, Nov. 13, for the funeral of Eden Atias, the 18-year old Israel Defense Forces soldier who had been stabbed to death just hours earlier by a Palestinian teenager.

Atias, who joined the IDF in October and was still undergoing basic training,was stabbed multiple times in the neck at 8:30 a.m., as he dozed in his seat aboard an Egged bus en route from his hometown of Nazareth Ilit to Tel Aviv. He was attacked as the bus made a stop in the central bus station of Afula. His attacker, Hussein Jawadra, 16, was captured by passengers. Authorities say Jawadra, who lives in Jenin, was residing in Israel illegally.

Atias is survived by his parents and two brothers, ages 24 and 18.

According to Israel Radio, Jawadra told polic that he attacked the young IDF solider to avenge the arrest of two of his family members who are jailed in Israel for terrorist activities. Reports say that this family members are in jail for convictions related to the murder of Israelis.  Jawadra’s father and a brother were reportedly arrested later Wednesday.

Citing a rise in violent attacks, fromer Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin warned recently of a third intifada.  However, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said that the attacks were all isolated incidents.  “There is no sign of a popular uprising or so-called third intifada,” he said.