A bus filled with children ages 3 to 13 was suddenly pelted with rocks and concrete cinder blocks hurled by Arab teens in Jerusalem’s mixed Jewish-Arab neighborhood of Abu Tur. 

Rivka and Eilat, two eighthgrade students living in the area who were on the bus at the time, told Arutz Sheva about the experience.

The incident started when the bus reached Naomi Street. Large rocks began flying at the bus, cracking the windows and breaking the front door completely.

Although the windows were made of reinforced glass, and thus remained in place with the black marks from the blows of the stones and cinder blocks, the door was “completely broken,” they said.

“I saw only his face,” Rivka and Eilat said, adding that they saw three children about 10 years old with rocks in their hands approach the bus. They hurled their missiles at their Jewish victims and then quickly raced away into the alleys of the neighborhood.

It is certain the ambush was planned well in advance by a guiding hand that understood the schedules of the Jewish school bus, and how to exploit the passion and ignorance of Arab youth.

The instant the bus was struck by rocks, the Arab bus driver immediately hit the gas pedal and accelerated the speed to flee from the scene.

“They threw [the rocks] and ran away. Police and an ambulance with sirens came within a minute, and began to investigate,” the children related.

“There was great fear in the bus,” they added. “Children were shaking and crying. There were some who were 3 years old, children who were not used to rock throwing,” they said. “But there were no bombs, thank G-d.”

Rivka and Eilat are certain this event will not stop them from traveling in the area. “We are not afraid,” they said. “It is important to keep traveling, and for them to know we are not afraid of them. We must be here.”

They spoke of returning to school the next morning, to the same routine without fear and without choice – because this is the only route to their school – just like every other student.