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Photo: Elkana Council
Senior officials from Kafr Qasim give their condolences to the Shmerling family
Photo: Elkana Council

Arab officials console family of Jewish terror victim

Senior Arab officials from Kafr Qasim pay a condolence visit to the bereaved family of Reuven Shmerling, who was murdered in the Arab city in a nationalistically motivated attack; MK Issawi Frej: 'Shmerling worked in Kafr Qasim, he did not talk about coexistence—he lived it.'

Two weeks after the murder of Elkana resident Reuven (Moti) Shmerling in a terror attack in Kafr Qasim, senior Arab officials arrived on Monday for a condolence visit to the family's home in the West Bank settlement of Elkana.

 

 

Among the senior officials from Kafr Qasim were Mayor Adel Badir and MK Issawi Frej (Meretz) who lives in the city, who said they came "first and foremost as people, as neighbors who seek to comfort neighbors."

 

"After the murder, there were those who rushed to blame and instill hatred and fear," Frej said. "There were those who tried to incite against the Arab citizens of Israel, to exploit the murder in order to promote an inciting and ugly agenda. In our hearts we knew that those things were baseless, but we chose to remain silent, and not to be dragged into an ugly and unnecessary debate.

 

Senior officials from Kafr Qasim give their condolences to the Shmerling family (Photo: Elkana Council)
Senior officials from Kafr Qasim give their condolences to the Shmerling family (Photo: Elkana Council)

 

"This is exactly what you did, the bereaved family and the residents of Elkana."

 

Frej went on to commend the residents of Elkana and the bereaved family for their composure and dignity.

 

"You mourned, and did not accuse," he told them. "They say that silence and reserve will give anyone a reputation for wisdom, and so it was in Elkana, as was the case in Kafr Qasim. We are here to console and participate in your sorrow.

 

"Despite the ideological distance, geographic proximity is more important than all, and creates a shared life. For that, we are here. Moti worked in Kafr Qasim, he did not talk about coexistence—he lived it."

 

Reuven (Moti) Shmerling
Reuven (Moti) Shmerling

 

Shmerling, 70, was found on the eve of Sukkot in a coal storehouse belonging to his family in the Kafr Qasim industrial zone, with signs of severe violence on his body.

 

It was initially suspected that workers from the territories who worked for him beat him to death over a monetary dispute.

 

However, the Shin Bet said the evidence gathered pointed to an act of terrorism. Two Palestinian suspects from the Palestinian town of Qabatiya were arrested several days later.

 

Shmerling was recognized on Sunday as a victim of terrorism.

 


פרסום ראשון: 10.16.17, 20:58
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