Yesterday’s terror attack at Havat Gilad in which 35 year old Rabbi Raziel Shevach father of five was murdered seems to gave caught the security services off guard. With none of the attackers found and the IDF scrambling to shut down the immediate area around the city of Shchem, calls have gone out from Israel’s right and many leaders in Judea and Samaria to clamp down hard on the Arab population to snuff out any thoughts of using this attack as a way to inspire more.
Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel said the following on Channel 2:
“These things are in the hands of the Defense Minister. These are his instructions to the military and Civil Administration. Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) spoke in the past about ‘carrots and sticks.’ We are waiting for the Defense Minister to use the ‘sticks’ and maybe he should have done it before now.”
“We can exile the families from their homes, we can destroy the homes of terrorists who carried out attacks – and I trust that the Defense Minister will take action. He has widespread support from the Israeli public. No one agrees to or is ready to accept this terror.”
“We can exile the families from their homes, we can destroy the homes of terrorists who carried out attacks – and I trust that the Defense Minister will take action.”
With increased incitement by the Abbas regime since Trump’s Jerusalem announcement and the slashing of US funds to UNRWA many are worried that this attack if not responded to in full force may lead to another intifada.
The Derech Chaim Movement which focuses on imbuing Israeli government with Torah leadership released the following statement regarding the murder of Rabbi Raziel:
“The spilled blood of Rabbi Raziel Shevach screams out for revenge against the murderers, their emissaries, and their supporters. The blood of thousands of victims murdered since the Oslo Accords screams, ‘It is our obligation to dismantle the Palestinian Authority, which is the embodiment of murderous enemies in the heart of our land.'”
“Instead of speaking about allowing the death penalty for terrorists, it’s time the security policies included elimination of terror organizations and effective deterrence, born of the recognition of our rights to this land.”
“We feel the family’s horrific pain, which is the pain of the entire nation. G-d will put an end to our sufferings, and give us true leadership.”
“Instead of speaking about allowing the death penalty for terrorists, it’s time the security policies included elimination of terror organizations and effective deterrence, born of the recognition of our rights to this land.”
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman who has often touted his tough guy persona as way of ensuring the public that security will remain in place may be pushed against the wall after this attack. His tepid response that the IDF is looking for the terror cell coupled with the possibility of legalizing Havat Gilad appears more of the same as opposed to the fresh approach he promised.