Another atrocity against Jews -- but revenge attacks are wrong

Netanyahu must act to prevent his own Altalena moment

Yesterday two Israeli Jewish brothers, Hillel and Yigal Yaniv aged 21 and 16, were murdered by a Palestinian Arab gunman in the town of Huwara, in the disputed “West Bank” territory of Samaria near where they lived. 

Times of Israel reports: 

The IDF said the Palestinian gunman opened fire from close range on the Yanivs’ car on the Route 60 highway, then fled the scene, apparently on foot. The brothers were driving from their hometown, the settlement of Har Bracha. There have been several shooting attacks on Israeli motorists on Route 60 in Huwara.

The reaction of the Palestinian Arabs was to celebrate these murders by handing out sweets — their customary depraved behaviour when they murder Israeli Jews — as you can see here:

Israel ישראל @Israel

Two Jews were murdered in a shooting by #Palestinian terrorists today. This is how Palestinians in the West Bank responded. This culture of hate starts with distributing sweets. It ends with innocents being butchered.

This is what one such Arab said in reaction to the murders: 

There are no civilians in Israel… there is nothing called Israel for us so we consider all Israelis are army.

Adam Albilya - אדם אלביליה @AdamAlbilya

A Palestinian explains why they're handing out sweets when terrorists murder Jews For those who support the "resistance", perhaps this will open your eyes: - You're supporting the Nazi resistance to the existence of Jews, striving to achieve the Judenfreid final solution

These are the young men who were murdered yesterday, pictured with their family before it was shattered for ever.

The murders were the latest in a wave of attacks on Israelis going back to spring last year. In recent months, Palestinian gunmen have repeatedly targeted military posts, troops operating along the West Bank security barrier, Israeli residential areas — or “settlements” — in the territories, and civilians on the roads. 

The IDF have been conducting near-nightly raids to try to neutralise these terror attacks, in which 11 Israelis were murdered in recent weeks before yesterday’s atrocity. Last week the IDF killed 11 Palestinian Arabs in Nablus in fierce exchanges of fire. Palestinian terror groups said at least six of those killed were their operatives. 

The attacks are the result of terrorist gangs affiliated to Islamic Jihad and Hamas being allowed to entrench themselves as a result of Palestinian Authority indifference — in direct contravention of its duty under the Oslo Accords  to suppress such terrorist activity — and Israeli attention being directed elsewhere.

Last night, a mob of Israeli Jews rampaged through Huwara in a revenge attack for the murder of the Yaniv brothers, setting fire to an estimated 30 Palestinian Arab homes, shops and cars and leaving one Arab shot dead (by whom is as yet unclear). According to Palestinian medics four others were badly wounded, and hundreds more were treated for smoke and tear gas inhalation.

Shortly before these arson attacks began, Times of Israel reports, hundreds of Israeli residents of these disputed territories began marching toward Huwara chanting “Revenge,” according to Army Radio.

Here are tweeted pictures of Huwara in flames — and of IDF soldiers helping a Palestinian Arab woman to leave her burning home, one of nine Arab families the IDF thus rescued.

Emily Schrader - אמילי שריידר امیلی شریدر @emilykschrader

Extremist settlers raided Huwarra village after the terrorist attack in which two Israelis were killed. They set buildings, cars and trees on fire…Many Palestinians injured and a Palestinian family was rescued by the IDF after their house was set on fire

Whatever the provocation, this revenge attack was inexcusable and disgraceful. It should be unequivocally condemned and its perpetrators arrested and punished. There can never be any justification for this kind of onslaught.