Bibi vows to “settle accounts” after Eli terror attack

BY DAVID SAFFER

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “settle accounts” for the “shocking and abhorrent” murders of four Israelis in a deadly terror attack near Eli in Judea and Samaria on Tuesday.

Four Israelis were wounded, one remains in a serious condition. They are being treated at Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva and Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu agreed to an immediate advancement of planning approximately 1,000 new residential units in Eli adjacent to where terrorist attack took place. “Our answer to terrorism is to strike at it forcefully and build up our country,” he said.

According to reports two gunmen, identified as Hamas activists, arrived at a petrol station by car on Route 60. They entered a hummus restaurant and opened fire with automatic weapons killing three people. A fourth man was killed at the petrol station.

Elisha Antman, 17, and Ofer Fairman, 60, of Eli, Harel Masoud, 21, of Yad Binyamin, and Nachman Shmuel Mordoff, 17, of Achya, were named as the victims.

An armed civilian killed one of the terrorists in a shooting exchange. The second terrorist fled by car, but was shot dead by Israeli forces whilst getting a taxi to Jenin after a two-hour manhunt.

There are growing calls for a wider IDF operation in Judea and Samaria, according to reports.

“All options are open,” said Netanyahu. “We will continue to fight terrorism with full force and we will defeat it.” He added: “Our forces are now working on the ground to settle accounts with the murders. In recent months, we have already proven that we do settle accounts with all of the murderers, without exception. Those who have attacked us are either in the grave or in prison, and so it will be here.”

National Security Minister Ben Gvir, who visited the site on Tuesday night, called for a military operation. He also backed a resumption of targeted killings from the air and passing the death penalty in second and third readings of a Terrorists Bill.

There have been 28 Israelis, mostly civilians, killed in terror attacks this year, compared to 20 a year ago. Over 130 Palestinians have been killed in the same period, mostly terrorists.

IDF troops have been bolstered to strengthen security in the region and prevent vigilante attacks by right-wing extremists.

Although there have been calls for an IDF operation, Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and the IDF favour targeted raids based on intelligence.

Right wing groups have called for increased checkpoints. The IDF oppose this option as troops would be ‘sitting targets’ for terrorists.

Eli settlement chairman Ariel Elmaliach in the wake of the attack appealed to the government to continue to attack terrorists.

“Stop the hand-wringing, start a new Defensive Shield operation,” he said. “We are exhausted. It’s time to put an end to this.”

Israel Ganz, Binyamin Regional Council leader, said social services were with families of the victims and the wounded in hospitals.

“The settlements in general and Binyamin in particular, are strong and will continue to be strong,” he noted. “Thank you to all the residents who are supporting us, to all the workers. We will get through this event, and we will deal with it in the future.”

Shlomo Ne’eman, Gush Etzion Regional Council leader and chairman of the Council of settlements, demanded government action.

He said: “We embrace the families of the murdered at this difficult time. The enemy raised his head and must be eliminated. We must not continue to absorb this and hope that the wave will pass. We demand that the government launch a broad operation.”

Ne’eman added: “The IDF must take off it’s gloves because only dealing with terrorism with a heavy hand, along with the continued construction and development of the Jewish settlement, will restore peace to the region.”

Shai Alon, Beit El local council leader, backed Ne’eman, stating: “Another shooting, another horrific murder and another terrible pain. The heart aches and refuses to contain the insane reality of repeated attacks, more deaths and many bereaved families. It is impossible to continue to contain the dead, to allow the terrorists to have weapons and slaughter us like sitting ducks.”

Alon called on the government for a “broad operation” to end illegal weapons in Judea and Samaria and the Palestinian Authority.