The latest terror attack in central Jerusalem occurred on Wednesday where 31 year old Hossam Dwayyat hijacked a bulldozer and drove it into traffic patterns overturning two buses, crushing multiple cars and forcing pedestrians to desperately flee out of the way. Hossam was only stopped from his rampage when an armed officer climbed up onto the bulldozer and shot him, killing him instantly.

Residents of Sur Baher, his hometown, are reported to be shocked he was one of their own residents. Tariq Awwad, the community center director told Ynet News

“Residents here were appalled by the news. Even his family was surprised that such an honest man, who did not affiliate with any organization, was responsible for the attack. No one believes this man could have gone out and killed those people.” Yet, the proof is the bloody trail he left behind on Wednesday.”

Awwad also states that “I don’t think there is extremism here. There residents of the neighborhood are normal and want only to live in peace...Personally I don’t hear talk of Hamas. Our daily lives are normal, and we aren’t zealous. Many Jews visit our neighborhood and we have excellent relationships with them.”

On the other hand, he mentions that there is a feeling of frustration that stems from the discrimination handed down to them from the Jerusalem Municipality.

“Residents suffer and pay taxes according to the law, but receive nothing from the municipality. When there is an attack we are investigated and questioned but when we suffer, nobody comes.”

Israeli police has confirmed that Hossam has a criminal record and spent two years in prison after he was found guilty of raping a Jewish Israeli woman he had been involved with romantically. Upon his release from prison, he married and had two children with the same woman who is now a widow.

Samikh al-Qassem, ‘Kol al-Arab’ editor of this Nazareth weekly newspaper stresses that

“In my opinion, Jews and Arabs yearn for peace and desire to leave this absurd and bloody circle, and free themselves from hate, occupation, violence and extremism.”

Whatever your opinion is of the Jewish/Arab situation, you cannot ignore that no matter how much of a family man Hossam Dwayyat may have been, he is responsible for multiple deaths and countless injuries after he hijacked a bulldozer and plowed into the streets with the intent to kill. While he is a single person and it does not mean that all of his family, friends or townspeople may also do the same, people must realize that there is a national wariness when an occurrence happens like this, it is only to be expected.

My heart goes out to his family who are now left without a father and a husband, may they not suffer anymore atrocities. I only pray his children grow up to see a peaceful Israel and do not follow in his footsteps. To all of the Jewish families who lost a member or those who are injured, I stand behind you in support and love.

Both sides lose. Will it ever end?