Israeli government officials and Opposition lawmakers hurried Thursday night to issue statements condemning the deadly terror attack that left one yeshiva student dead and two others wounded after being shot as they were traveling in a car near the northern Samaria community of Homesh.
The yeshiva, on the site of Homesh, is a living testament to the history of the community, one of 23 destroyed during the 2005 Disengagement from Gaza and Northern Samaria.
Yamina
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement issued nearly two hours after the attack, “Together with all the people of Israel, I send heartfelt condolences to the family of the person killed in the deadly attack that took place tonight in Samaria and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded.
“Security forces will soon get their hands on the terrorists,” Bennett promised. “We will deal with them. ”
“Palestinian terrorism once again illustrates to us that the war on Israel has not ended and that the settlers of Judea and Samaria constitute the defensive wall of the State of Israel,” said Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, a member of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s Yamina party.
“We will continue to take root in this country and build it to glory. I share the grief of the family of the murdered victim and wish complete healing to the wounded.”
Yamina Knesset member Amichai Chikli directly blamed Barlev for the attack, saying it was “a direct result of the ‘settler violence’ campaign in which you took part, with full knowledge.
“Apologize and resign now, before your incitement and that of your friends on the far left will cost us a heavier price!”
Yamina Knesset member Yom Tov Kalfon added his voice, saying that he was praying for the healing of the wounded.
“Just last week on the very same day, I was there at the scene of the attack,” Kalfon said.
“This is a painful reminder to [Public Security] Minister [Omer] Barlev of where the real violence and murder in Judea and Samaria emanates from,” he said.
Blue & White
Defense Minister and Blue & White party leader Benny Gantz, a former IDF Chief of Staff, promised Israelis the terrorists will be caught.
“I would like to express my condolences to the family of the terror victim killed in Judea and Samaria this evening, and wish a speedy recovery to those who suffered injuries in the attack,” Gantz said in a statement issued less than two hours later.
The defense minister promised Israel’s security forces will capture the perpetrators.
“We will increase our vigilance and readiness to thwart terror in Judea and Samaria, and will continue to take any measures necessary in facing terror groups in the area,” he added.
Yesh Atid
Yesh Atid party leader, Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a brief statement that his “heart is with the family of the murdered victim in the attack on the Homesh, and there are prayers tonight for the healing of the wounded.
“We will continue to take all measures against despicable terrorists who go out to murder in cold blood,” Lapid said. “I strengthen the IDF and the security forces who face violence and terror day and night; their hand will capture the killers and those who sent them,” he said.
Labor
Labor party leader and Public Security Minister Omer Barlev also promised Israelis the terrorists will be captured.
“Palestinian terror again raises its ugly head,” he wrote.
“Condolences to the family of their beloved, murdered yeshiva student, and swift recovery to the wounded.”
Barlev then added a Torah passage: ‘I will pursue my enemies and I will destroy them and will not return until they are consumed,” he quoted.
Yisrael Beytenu
Avigdor Liberman, Finance Minister and Chairman of the Yisrael Beytenu Party, another party to the coalition, wrote in a statement posted to Twitter, “Terrorism cannot be tolerated. I share the grief of the family of those killed in the attack in Samaria and wish for the speedy recovery of the wounded.
“We will not spare any effort, time and money in order to thwart terrorism and get our hands on the terrorists,” said Liberman, a former defense minister who was a powerful force in building the current government coalition.
“In the fight against terrorism, there is no question of a coalition and opposition: we will join forces and wage a powerful and uncompromising fight against it,” he said.
Likud
The leading party in the Opposition, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud, pointed to the incitement against settlers by key government ministers.
“In the midst of a wave of terrorism, the failed government of Bennett, [Foreign Minister Yair] Lapid and [Public Security Minister] Omer Barlev is busy inciting against the settlers and promoting Iranian laws to close the mouths of those on social media.
‘The Likud demands that [Ra’am leader] Mansour Abbas and [coalition member] Ra’am condemn in Arabic, on their Facebook and Twitter accounts, the terrorist attack in Samaria – without restrictions and without excuses. After they received NIS 53 billion from Bennett, this is the least they have to do,” the party said.
“We send our deepest condolences to the family of the person killed in the deadly attack tonight on Homesh in Samaria and pray for the peace of the wounded. Instead of inciting against the settlers this failed government must fight the terrorists.”
Likud Knesset member and former Public Security Minister Amir Ohana added his voice: “I share the grief of the family of the murdered victim,” he said, “and wish a speedy recovery and complete healing to the wounded.
“There is a direct relationship between pilgrimage and flattery to terrorists such as [Palestinian Authority leader] Abu Mazen (the nom de guerre of Mahmoud Abbas), and an increase in terrorist attacks,” Ohana said in a direct reference to a recent meeting between Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Abbas at his headquarters in Ramallah. Another such visit to Ramallah is planned by Gantz as well.
“Trust the security forces that everyone who took part in tonight’s attack will be wiped off the face of the earth,” Ohana added.
Another Likud lawmaker, MK Yariv Levin, also sent his “deepest condolences” to the family of the murdered victim and wished a “speedy recovery” to the wounded.
“Terrorism raises its head, and the government is weak against it,” Levin said. “A senior minister backs up antisemitic remarks about alleged violence by the settlers, government ministers compete over who will bow more to Abu Mazen and the entire government transfers huge sums to the Palestinian Authority which continues to pay the families of the terrorists,” he said.
“This is not how we fight terrorism. This is how Israel’s security is abandoned.”
Shas
The head of the Sephardic Orthodox Shas party, Aryeh Deri, also expressed his condolences for the family of the murdered yeshiva student, and he too pointed the finger of blame at politicians who publicly attacked settlers.
“The deadly attack tonight is the result of severe incitement against our settler brothers,” Deri warned.