Terror victims' families: Israeli government failed in handling of wave of violence
'I've lost my trust in the government a long time ago,' says widow of Avraham Hasano who was murdered in a vehicular attack last October; 'This government has taken away our hope,' says mother of Danny Gonen, murdered in June.
After eleven terror attacks in six days—the latest spike in violence in a year of stabbings, shootings and car rammings—the families of the victims have had enough and are now pointing the finger at the Israeli government.
"This government has completely failed. I've lost my trust in it a long time ago," said Ruth Hasano, whose husband Avraham was murdered in a vehicular attack on October 20, 2015 at the Al-Fawar Junction south of Hebron.
"No one asks and no one is interested (in how we are)," Ruth went on to say. "At first, (the politicians) were all at my house making promises and we were sure we'd be the last ones, but (the attacks) keep happening every day. The prime minister is simply not speaking the truth. We're being stabbed here day after day and we don't hear anything from him. We don't hear anything from the defense minister, either. Where did everyone disappear to? I guess they got used to the fact we can endure. It's a feeling of helplessness."
Similar criticism came from Dvora Gonen, whose son Danny was murdered in a shooting attack in the Binyamin region in June 2015.
Since the death of her son, Dvora has been leading a campaign calling on the government to increase the deterrence and to change its policy on terrorism.
"After Danny's murder, I promised myself I would be the last mother to have to bury her son. And I'm fighting. But everything that happens around us is not helping," she said.
Gonen accused the government of "not doing anything. It's been a year since the beginning of the wave of terrorism and the attacks continue as if there isn't anything to stop them. This government has taken away our hope. The prime minister realized the people can simply endure this terrorism. Families are ruined and fall apart—and they remain silent. But I'm here, and I won't be broken. We have to realize we have the power to demand a meaningful change and not let the situation continue as it is. Every attack I hear about takes me back. I'll keep fighting."
Micha Avni, whose father Richard Lakin was murdered in an attack on a bus in Jerusalem, was not at all surprised by the recent escalation in hostilities.
"We're in the midst of a global fight that's only growing between radical Islam and the West, which Israel is a part of. The terror attacks are part of a wave that has been growing over the past decade," he said.
Avni also had a message for the Israeli leadership: "Unfortunately, the political leaders—whether they're on the left or right—don't understand the problem. Radical Islam has taken over the territories, the Palestinian Authority's leaders are using the language of ISIS. As long as our leaders are talking about how many lands to give back, and the arguments between the right and left continue, I expect we'll still have attacks in a month, two months, and even two years. It's a sad situation, but it's a global problem."
