Thousands of people on Wednesday attended the funerals of the four victims of a deadly attack in Be'er Sheva carried out by an Islamic State-affiliated terrorist.
Mohammad Abu al-Kian, a 35-year-old resident of the Bedouin town Hura in the Negev, went on a killing spree at a shopping center in the southern city on Tuesday before being killed by two armed civilians.
5 View gallery
The four victims of the Be'er Sheva attack (counterclockwise) — Doris Yahbas, Laura Yitzhak, Rabbi Moshe Kravitzky and Menahem Yehezkel
The crowd of mourners gathered at Be'er Sheva Cemetery, where Menahem Yehezkel, 67, Laura Yitzhak, 43, and Rabbi Moshe Kravitzky, 50, were laid to rest while Doris Yahbas, 49, was laid to rest in Moshav Gilat near Be'er Sheva.
Public Security Minister Omer Barlev represented the government at Yahbas’s funeral.
"This is a difficult moment for the family and all the citizens of Israel, after a murderous terrorist incident by a vile killer. Only because of the hatred that burned in him, he committed this heinous crime," he said.
Barlev also misspoke during his remarks, saying "we will not rest until the terrorist is brought to justice," prompting members of the crowd to yell "his dead" at Barlev.
The Yahbas's widower said: "Dear Doris, my wife, the mother of my children which we raised together. We ask you for forgiveness. We will never forget you. You were the pillar, you were the link that held the whole family together. You always helped everyone, but then a disgusting, filthy, Jew-hating man came and took your life, and took you away from us. You will always be in our heart and soul, I promise you I will look after our children like you did. I love you, and the kids love you. Sorry, Doris."
During Menahem Yehezkel's funeral in Be'er Sheva, some mourners yelled at the government's representative Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton "you sit in a government together with terror supporters."
Yiftah, brother of the deceased, said "It's hard for me to stand here today and eulogize my dear brother. We are shocked and hurt to stand here and say goodbye."
"You were murdered by a vile person because you are Jewish. We came from India and arrived at Be'er Sheva in 1963 and we've been here ever since. Our parents raised us to love the Land of Israel and the Jewish tradition. You gave out charity in secret from your disability benefits. Our mother passed away four years ago and her last wish was to keep you safe. But we couldn't keep you safe. You were brutally taken from us."
Laura Yitzhak was also buried in the southern city and left a husband and three daughters behind. Her eldest daughter Efrat, 16, said: "Mom, I can't believe you are gone, how do we carry on from here?"
"I thank you for raising me to be who I am today, thank you for your love. I will never forget you, wherever I go, you will be in my heart. I promise you I will always make sure Noa and Yali are safe, and I will share your education with them. I love you and I will never forget you. You are my hero," she said.
Noa, 14, also spoke and said: "I will never forget you, and I hope you will never forget me as well. I want to tell you that no matter what, I love you, whether you are here or up there, I believe you are in a good place. I want to tell you that I love you very much."
The last victim laid to rest in Be'er Sheva was Rabbi Moshe Kravitzky who left a wife and four children behind.
5 View gallery
Rabbi Zalman Gorelick speaks at Moshe Kravitzky's funeral in Be'er Sheva
(Photo: Barel Efraim)
Rabbi Zalman Gorelick, the first to speak at the funeral, said: "It is not customary to eulogize in Chabad's tradition, but in this incident, a Jew was murdered for being Jewish. Rabbi Moshe was a loyal member of the rabbinical community of the city. He was the head of a synagogue and a soup kitchen for the elderly Russian-speaking population.
He was eager to help every Jew he could, he was a symbol of giving, for sticking to the task, and helping every Jew with warm-heartedness."