Mourning the death of seven Jewish worshipers, who were shot by a Palestinian gunman as they left a synagogue in East Jerusalem on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Beniamin Netanyahu announced yesterday a series of measures to “combat terrorism”.
Faced with the unleashed fear – a second armed attack on Saturday left two seriously injured – Bibi announced that she will give weapons permits to “thousands of civilians”, whose applications are bogged down by bureaucracy. In Israel, a country armed to the teeth, licenses for citizens to obtain pistols or rifles are difficult to obtain, and well-founded justifications are required that personal security is at risk. Usually, it is the settlers residing in East Jerusalem or the West Bank who walk around armed.
When the bodies of the victims of the attack on Friday had barely been removed, the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, was greeted by angry youths shouting “death to the terrorists!” The far-right minister, who in his electoral campaign promised to impose the death penalty on terrorists, replied to those present: “When civilians are armed, they can defend themselves.”
In the face of jubilant images in several Palestinian cities, the Netanyahu government vowed to “strengthen Jewish settlements” in the West Bank over the coming weeks.
The United States, which has renewed ties with Ramallah and insists on preserving the two-state solution, does not take kindly to the annexationist plans. The Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, lands today in Israel with the complex challenge of trying to calm things down. An announcement now about colonia expansion could strain ties with the White House.
In addition, the cabinet approved the deployment of additional police and army units, arrests, confiscation of illegal weapons and intelligence-gathering operations.
The two Palestinians who opened fire at the synagogue in east Jerusalem on Friday came from neighboring neighborhoods, considered an intelligence “black hole.”
To intimidate future attackers, members of the government demanded the immediate expulsion of the families of the terrorists from the West Bank and the demolition of their homes, without waiting for the necessary judicial ruling.
Police yesterday sealed off the family home of Alqam Jairi, the lone wolf who killed seven Jews on Friday.
The security forces notified the family shortly after the attack to leave the home, which could soon be demolished.
A total of 42 of Jairi’s relatives and friends have been detained. Several human rights NGOs believe that it is a disproportionate punishment.
Faced with the climate of revenge unleashed, Netanyahu has asked the population that “no one take the law on their own.”
Settler vandalism took place yesterday near Nablus and Ramallah, burning vehicles and throwing stones at Palestinian businesses and homes.
