A 14-year-old’s death in a Jerusalem protest run-over has spotlighted rising assaults on Palestinian bus drivers, amid calls for better protection in Israel’s divided capital.
Jerusalem Protest Turns Deadly: Teen Killed by Bus Driver:
Jerusalem’s streets turned deadly, when a Palestinian bus driver, fleeing a mob of protesters, unknowingly ran over and killed a 14-year-old ultra-Orthodox Jewish boy clinging to his vehicle. The incident, captured on video, has amplified fears among Arab bus drivers facing a reported surge in racist attacks amid escalating social tensions. As investigations unfold, it raises urgent questions about safety, accountability, and the human cost of Israel’s deepening divides.
Route 64 Chaos: Blocked Bus Kills in Seconds:
The evening began as a routine shift for Fakhri Khatib, navigating Jerusalem’s bustling route 64 toward the Ramot neighborhood. But as thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered to protest a recent court ruling mandating their conscription into the Israeli military, the demonstration spilled into violence.
According to police reports and eyewitness accounts, a group of young protesters blocked the bus, pounded on its sides, and shouted threats at Khatib, identified as an Arab by his appearance and name. Video footage shows the crowd surrounding the vehicle, with some attempting to force entry. Khatib, fearing for his safety, contacted emergency services, but no officers arrived promptly.
In a split-second decision, he accelerated forward to break free. Unbeknownst to him, 14-year-old Yosef Eisenthal had positioned himself at the front, gripping the bumper in an apparent bid to halt the bus. As the vehicle moved, Eisenthal was dragged underneath, suffering fatal injuries. Paramedics from Magen David Adom pronounced him dead at the scene. Three other teenagers sustained minor wounds from the impact.
Khatib was detained immediately after stopping the bus a short distance away. Initial police statements suggested intent, leading to calls for aggravated murder charges. However, after reviewing evidence, authorities reduced it to negligent homicide, citing Khatib’s claims of self-defense amid the assault.
Eyewitness Moshe, speaking to Israeli media, described the horror: “The child was dragged, the driver didn’t stop.” Other accounts from the protest site paint a picture of chaos, with protesters setting fires, throwing objects at police, and disrupting traffic across the city.
Bus Drivers Caught in Haredi Draft Clash:
This tragedy unfolds against a backdrop of heightened tensions in Israel, where ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) communities have long resisted mandatory military service, viewing it as a threat to their religious way of life. A Supreme Court decision in late 2025 invalidated exemptions for yeshiva students, sparking widespread rallies that have frequently turned confrontational.
Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up about 20% of the population, often work in essential services like public transportation. However, reports from rights groups and unions indicate a sharp rise in attacks on them since 2024, fueled by political rhetoric and societal divisions exacerbated by ongoing conflicts in Gaza and the West Bank.
In Jerusalem alone, Arab bus drivers have reported dozens of incidents in recent months, including physical assaults, spitting, and verbal abuse with chants like “death to Arabs.” A similar attack in August 2025 left driver Ahmad al-Mughrabi hospitalized after being beaten by youths. Advocacy organizations like +972 Magazine and Adalah have documented over 50 such cases in 2025, linking them to impunity and inflammatory statements from far-right politicians.
The Egged company, Israel’s largest bus operator, employs many Arab drivers, but workers say protective measures-such as reinforced vehicles or rapid police response-are inadequate. This incident marks the first fatality tied directly to such confrontations, but it echoes historical violence, including the 2014 death of Palestinian driver Yusuf al-Ramouni, initially ruled a suicide but contested as a lynching.