After two incidents in the West Bank, the Israeli government now wants to act. Killers’ family members are threatened with loss of social security claims in the future.
After two terrorist attacks with seven dead and several injured in East Jerusalem, the Israeli security cabinet decided on new anti-terrorist measures. For example, Israeli citizens must obtain firearms licenses more easily and quickly, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Sunday night. Initially, there were no details of exactly how the facilitation for the purchase of weapons should be.
The security cabinet met on Saturday night to deal with the situation after the terrorist attacks. The meeting also passed a resolution to remove social security and health care benefits for terrorist families who support terrorists. In addition, a new law is under discussion, according to which relatives of murderers with Israeli identity cards must be confiscated.
Army and police must collect illegal weapons
Initially it was not clear whether and how exactly one should check whether someone is a supporter of terrorism. It was also decided that the army and police should collect illegal weapons in a targeted manner. Other steps to “strengthen the settlements”, for example, will be published at a later date. Israel’s new far-right government also wants to promote settlement expansion in areas Palestinians claim for a future state.
In two incidents in the West Bank on Saturday night, gunmen attempted to carry out further attacks against Israelis. According to the army, security guards prevented an attack on the settlement of Kedumim, west of the city of Nablus. They would have discovered and “neutralized” the “terrorist”. It was initially unclear whether the attacker was dead. Another man opened fire at a restaurant near the town of Jericho and fled the scene, the Israeli military said. The media reported that he had problems with his gun. That may have prevented more shootings – and casualties.
On Friday, an assailant opened fire on visitors to a synagogue in east Jerusalem. Seven people died and several were injured. According to police, the killer was shot while trying to flee. On Saturday, a 13-year-old man shot and wounded two men in an attack on settlers in the Silvan district of East Jerusalem. Armed bystanders shot at the boy, who received medical attention.
The murderer’s house must be destroyed
Friday’s killer’s home was sealed off Sunday night and will be destroyed. A decision by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s security cabinet was implemented immediately. The house is located in the At-Tur district, in the Arab-dominated eastern part of Jerusalem. After the attack, police arrested more than 40 people close to the Palestinian.
Israel conquered the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967. In total, over 600,000 Israeli settlers live there today. The Palestinians claim the territories for an independent state of Palestine, with the Arab-influenced eastern part of Jerusalem as its capital. Israel’s settlement policy is seen by the vast majority of states as a flagrant violation of international law.
In late 2016, the UN Security Council urged Israel to completely halt settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including annexed East Jerusalem. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is also considered a critic of the settlement policy.