PM: We won't tolerate slaughter of Israelis
Prime Minister Netanyahu commends security forces for nabbing suspects in Itamar terror attack. 'We will catch killers wherever they may be and cut off their hands,' he says
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended the Israeli security forces Sunday for apprehending two suspects in the Fogel family massacre in Itamar, in March.
Earlier, the Shin Bet cleared for publication that the month-long investigation into the vicious terror attack, which left both Fogel parents and three of their children dead, has culminated in the arrest of two Palestinian men from the village of Awarta.
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Speaking during the induction ceremony for the new chief of police, Netanyahu stressed that Israel "will not tolerate the slaughtering of our people – not in Gaza, not in Judea and Samaria, and not anywhere else."
Netanyahu praised the IDF, Shin Bet and police forces for their actions in the case: "They sought to make sure the findings were complete, not just as far as catching the killers themselves, but also as far as their accomplices were concerned. This is very important work that expresses our commitment to justice.
"I don’t know whether catching these killers provides a full answer, but without it, there wouldn’t be an answer at all. I don't know if there is anything that can ease the family's profound pain," he continued, "but knowing that the State of Israel promised to find the murderers and did so, is proof that we will not will not tolerate the butchering, the slaughtering of our people."
Israel, Netanyahu stressed "will catch such killers wherever they may be and cut off their hands. This manifests both our commitment to the notion of justice and to our citizen's security."
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman also commented on the apprehension of the Fogel family's murderers, and called on left-wing parties, Arab party keaders, human rights organizations and publicists to do "some soul searching.
"Those who rush to condemn the settlers and the settlements and to turn public opinion against them, should do some soul searching," he said during a meeting with the Japanese ambassador to Israel, Haruhisa Takeuchi.
"I expect every single one of them to condemn the murder to the fullest extent," he noted, adding that it was the right timing to bring up the question of capital punishment for terrorists.
"Unfortunately, we recently witnessed the murder of Juliano Mer-Khamis and the Italian citizen – a so-called human rights activist. These things happen all the time and all these organizations simply remain silent. The entire Left and the party leaders are turning a blind eye. There is something very distorted about the worldview of some of these people," Lieberman said.
During the meeting Takeuchi thanked Lieberman for the aid Israel sent Japan following last month's earthquake.
Earlier, Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen also commended the work security forces did in the case: "Solving the heinous murder of innocent people and arresting the suspects demonstrates security forces' proficiency and stresses the police and security forces' commitment to prosecute the offenders to the full extend of the law."
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