The family of the victims of a horrific 2011 terror attack have criticized far-right MKs for using their images to lambast the new government during Sunday's stormy Knesset session to confirm the coalition of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
Bennett's pre-confirmation speech was repeatedly interrupted by members of Benjamin Netanyahu's outgoing right-wing, religious government, who held aloft images of terror victims including the Fogel family while yelling that the new prime minister should be "ashamed."
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Religious Zionist leader Bezalel Smotrich holds up images of terror victims during Sunday's Knesset session to approve the new government
(Photo: Knesset Channel)
The new coalition has members from across the political spectrum, including an Arab party for the first time in Israeli history. Bennett's critics have accused him of misleading his right-wing voters in order to join with parties that hold opposing views.
Udi Fogel, his wife Ruth, their three-month-old daughter Hadas and sons Yoav, 11, and Elad, 4, were brutally murdered in the attack on their home in the West Bank settlement of Itamar.
Only three other children escaped the attack that caused shockwaves around the world for its brutality.
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Clockwise from top left: Terror victims Udi Fogel, Ruth Fogel, Hadas Fogel, Elad Fogel and Yoav Fogel
Haim Fogel, Udi's father, blasted the MKs for using the pictures of his murdered son and grandchildren.
"We the family are not involved in any political fighting. Udi and Ruth were also like this, what gives these lawmakers the right to use the pictures of my son, his wife and their children for blatant campaign purposes?"
Haim said that his comments had nothing to do with own opinions on the new government, but said that "using pictures of children for political battles is obscene."
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The funeral for the Fogel family who were murdered in a 2011 terror attack in their home
(Photo: Getty)
After Knesset officers removed its MKs from the plenum for heckling on Sunday, the Religious Zionist party said in a statement that the protest had been made "at the request of bereaved families."
The party apologized to the Fogel family for any offence caused by the "erroneous" use of the images.