Early Thursday evening (Jan. 8, 2015) local sources reported an Arab terrorist stabbed a Jewish rabbical student near the Damascus Gate at the entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem.

The victim, a Chassidic 25-year-old U.S. citizen, was treated on the scene by medics from the United Hatzalah emergency response service before being taken to Sha’are Tzedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.. Doctors say he is in serious but stable condition.

A medic told Israel’s Army Radio the victim was “fully conscious” when the ambulance arrived, and remained conscious throughout, adding that it appeared he had been on his way to pray at the Western Wall (Kotel) when he was attacked.

Police have thrown a dragnet around the city and are searching for the terrorist.

The site is a popular location often used by tourists and locals to enter the Old City.

People come there to buy trinkets and household goods, bargaining over the prices in the alley leading the entrance with Arab business owners. Both sides benefit from the exchange, which is a tradition that dates back centuries.

During terror-ridden “intifada” periods, however, when Israel is plagued by violent attacks on its citizens by Arab terrorists, the Old City market is generally empty. The ancient stones on the streets and alleys echo with the footsteps of the Jewish, Arab and Christian residents who live there, and the merchants suffer economic hardship.

Others who live in the Muslim Quarter deeper into the Old City, however, often stand in the doorways glaring at Jews passing by on their way to pray at the Western Wall, their eyes filled with hate.

A Jew (35) was arrested on the Temple Mount this morning after police saw him closing his eyes, which they presumed to have been for prayer, according to Tazpit News Agency.

He was subsequently released.

As the winter weather slowly winds its way towards the Holy Land, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gathered officials in Jerusalem on Tuesday to review final details and preparation for the anticipated storm.

Meeting in Jerusalem City Hall on January 6 were, among others, Mayor Nir Barkat and Jerusalem District Police Commander Moshe Edry, as well as representatives of the IDF, social welfare institutions, the Israel Electric Corp. and rescue services.

“I am impressed by the authorities’ coordination and preparatory work,” Netanyahu said, summarizing the meeting.

“We have three missions. The first is to save lives. The second is to ensure the continuity of essential services. The third is to provide mutual assistance and guarantee – residents helping residents.

“Beyond what the state is doing and will do, beyond what the municipalities are doing and will do, I ask the citizens of Israel to watch out for their neighbors and to help. The people of Israel excel at this.”

Last year’s storm found motorists scattered around on major arteries leading to the capital because numerous Israelis were curious and “wanted to see the snow.” This year officials are nipping that risk in the bud, and have announced that all major roads leading to the city will be shut down on Wednesday morning, when the storm is expected to hit the city.

It’s only Tuesday, but Shuk Machane Yehuda is packed with shoppers buying food and supplies to wait out the snow storm.

Weather buffs have come up with predictions of accumulations of 2-6 inches in Jerusalem on Wednesday and Thursday.

It appears that all areas 600 meters (2,000 feet) above sea level will see the white stuff pile up.

Snow may fall in lower-lying areas, even in Modi’in halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, but it will not accumulate, according to current weather maps.

The prediction for Gush Etzion , which includes hills higher than Jerusalem, is for 6-10 inches.

On the Hermon ski slopes, 3-5 feet will fall, and 1-2 feet will dump on Tzfat (Safed).

As usually, snow accumulation predictions have to be taken with a grain of – uh – snow because a change of one degree here or there is significant.

The amount of snow in Jerusalem and to the south depends on how far and how fast the storm system moves southward.

In any case, the storm will be previewed by a sudden drop in temperatures Wednesday afternoon and will leave behind freezing weather.

Residents are advised to be prepared for electric outages due to heavy demand for electric and  due to gale-force winds, which are likely to tear down trees and power lines.

Current maps show that a re-rerun might be in store for next week.

Last year, a huge early winter storm dumped accumulations far beyond what was predicted.

what was predicted.

Shmuel and Michal Gross, whose two daughters died from rat poison left behind in their Jerusalem residence last year, are now the parents of a new baby.

The girls, Avigail and Yael,  ages 2 and 4, succumbed to the accidental poisoning that also seriously  affected their brothers, ages 5 and 7, who recovered.

A pesticide worker had fumigated the Gross apartment with an unusually high dosage of aluminum, phosphide and then left the toxic material in an enclosed bomb shelter, which was not effective enough to prevent the poison from spreading throughout the apartment.

Below is a video of the grieving parents as they left the hospital with their sons last year.

Gross ,speaking in Hebrew, said:

We are going home today with two healthy, whole children, something that is hard to believe and we are grateful that we are here to see this day.

On the other side, it is hard not to have thoughts of Avigail and Yael. During this time we have practically not left the hospital but we have felt the enormous love and the influence of the many tefillos [prayers] that have been said for the boys and a tremendous sense of achdus [unity]. This has given us the fortitude to continue during this difficult time and we feel that we are part of a very special nation.

The secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, an umbrella group representing 57 Muslim countries based in Saudi Arabia, plans to visit the Temple Mount Monday.

Iyad bin Amin Madani is scheduled to make the visit as part of a trip that also includes a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, OnIslam.net reported.

Madani’s first Temple Mount visit comes as Muslim-Jewish tension simmers over control of the holy site, contributing to an uptick in Palestinian terrorism in and around Jerusalem.

Last May, Madani urged Muslims from around the world to visit the Temple Mount in order to “confirm that this mosque is a part of their faith,” in reference to the Al-Aqsa Mosque located there. Many Muslims maintain an informal boycott of visiting Al-Aqsa in protest of Israel’s control of the Temple Mount. Israel, however, bans Jewish prayer at the site.