On Sunday morning, the IDF escorted Arab residents of Awarta into the town of Itamar, to allow the Arabs to harvest their olive trees that are located within the town’s perimeter.
On March 11, 2011, two Palestinians from the town of Awarta massacred the Fogel family. Those murdered were Udi (father) and Ruth (mother) and three of their six children Yoav (11), Elad (4), and Hadas (3 months). The baby, Hadas, was decapitated by the Palestinian terrorists.
Three other children survived the attack.
The terrorists received assistance from other family member in their village, three of whom were subsequently arrested, while other members of their clan in Awarta, called the murderers “heroes”. Before the arrests, a number of Israeli Leftist organizations arrived in town of Awarta to show support to the Arabs.
The terrorists had used the previous olive harvest to scout out the town.
During last year’s harvest that followed the Fogel massacre, Arab olive pickers jeered at the Jewish residents and said they would slaughter them next.
This year, as dozens of Arabs arrived to harvest the olives, dozens of angry Itamar residents showed up to protest, and threw stones at the Arabs. No Arabs were injured. And most of the Arabs left following the incident.
Residents of Itamar said they don’t understand how the army could let the Arabs of Awarta in again to endanger their lives.
The Fogel massacre was not the first terrorist attack in Itamar that originated from Awarta.