Stun grenade thrown into Maghar mosque
The grenade is likely thrown in response to a status showing support of Friday's terror attack in Temple Mount, in which Staff Sgt. Maj. Ha'il Satawi, a resident of Maghar, was murdered; there were no injuries or damage due to the grenade.
Unknown assailants threw a stun grenade at a mosque in the Muslim neighborhood in the Arab town of Maghar, located in Israel's Northern District, east of Carmiel. The incident was likely a reaction to a status published by a young woman in the village, expressing support of Friday's Jerusalem terror attack at Temple Mount. There were no injuries or property damage in the grenade incident, and the status was deleted following it.
Staff Sgt. Maj. Ha'il Satawi, a resident of Maghar, was one of two soldiers murdered in the attack, along with Staff Sgt. Maj. Kamil Shnaan.
A Maghar resident responded Friday night to the events, saying, "From what we could gather, the girl posted a status on Facebook, supporting the residents of Umm al-Fahm who had carried out the attack, which angered a lot of the residents, who denounced the act. After posting the status, a grenade was thrown at the mosque. The girl erased the status and apologized for posting it."
"Druze and Muslims live in the village and we all get along well. We're always helping one another. A lot of Muslims attended that funeral of the slain police officer. It's very important not to pay attention to people only out to incite. This is the time to band together against all acts that could harm us as human beings. Each person is responsible for their actions. You shouldn't punish an entire population because of a serious act carried out by a few individuals."
Abbas Mansour, another Maghar resient and an activist in the Islamic Movement, said that "our village is calm, and its residents are on good terms with one another. This is an unusual event that has nothing to do with the mosque, but has to do with what happened on the street. I call on people to exhibit caution regarding announcements in the media."
Thousands of mourners attended the funerals of Staff Sgt. Maj. Ha'il Satawi, 30, and Staff Sgt. Maj. Kamil Shnaan, 22, of Maghar and Hurfeish, respectively, who were both murdered in a terrorist attack Friday morning at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Satawi is survived by his three-week-old son, his wife, parents and three brothers.
Numerous government officials attended both funerals, including Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh, Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan, Labor Party Chairman Avi Gabbay, Opposition Chairman Yitzhak Herzog, Minister of Education Naftali Bennett and MK Amir Peretz.
Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh spoke at Satawi's funeral, saying, "Today you shouldn't have been at the Temple Mount, but you switched with a friend who needed help. That is who you were, ready to volunteer for any mission."
Alsheikh continued, saying, "As usual, you were the first to run to the source of the shooting, and unfortunately for us, you found your death with your head held high, you and Kamil. Ha'il, your friends cannot digest the fact that you are not among the living anymore.
"More and more security missions are falling to the police; police who serve on the frontline on a daily basis. You served in the most sensitive place in the world, in order to preserve freedom of worship. There, vile people decided to thwart this right. We will not allow it."
Through tears, Kamil's father, former MK Shachiv Shnaan, said, "I am proud of my son, who is here wrapped in the flag of the country. I saw the reports about the attack and the headlines, and I did not imagine that I was the father of one of the fallen.
"He did not answer his phone and I realized that something had happened. In the name of the people of Israel, I wish these will be the last of the fallen. My heart is also with the Satawi family and I wish a speedy recovery to our brothers, the Kablan family. Enough of the crying and tears. It is my prayer that the rifle is replaced with the flower."
