Man Charged with Bank Employee Stabbing After Being Denied Cash Withdrawal

A 67-year-old bank customer has been indicted for allegedly stabbing a 45-year-old female employee in the face at a Mizrahi Bank branch in Jaffa last week. The indictment, filed Tuesday in the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court, states the attack stemmed from the man's dissatisfaction with service after he was refused a cash withdrawal.

The incident began hours earlier on August 26, when the suspect reportedly arrived at the branch around 3:00 AM and spread superglue on the entrance door locks and the ATM slot before leaving. Approximately seven hours later, around 10:00 AM, he returned to the branch, this time allegedly armed with two knives and pepper spray.

During his second visit, the man allegedly pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed the bank employee in the face. The 45-year-old victim was treated by Magen David Adom paramedics, who took her to Wolfson Hospital with a penetrating injury. Her condition was described as moderate.

Police officers from the Jaffa station responded to the scene and apprehended the suspect inside the bank, seizing a knife believed to be the weapon used in the assault. The suspect was taken for questioning, during which his detention was repeatedly extended. Following the completion of the investigation and the gathering of evidence, the Tel Aviv District Prosecution Unit filed the indictment and requested the suspect be held in custody until the legal proceedings conclude, a request the court granted.