Terrorists Attack near Havat Gilad Killing a Jew

Near Havat Gilad in Samaria, terrorists shot at Rabbi Raziel Shevach from a passing vehicle and escaped. Rabbi Shevach a 35-year-old father of six died of his wounds after attempts to resuscitate him failed. He left behind a wife, 4 daughters and 2 sons the baby being only 8-months old.

The IDF set up roadblocks to catch the perpetrators after the murder though residents in the area forewarned the security establishment of an armed terrorist roaming the area for a few days prior to this incident. They would like to know why the city of Shechem (Nablus) is not surrounded with roadblocks on a steady basis which would have possibly prevented this attack from happening.

US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman responded to last night's terror attack, issuing a statement about Rabbi Shevach’s murder: "An Israeli father of six was killed last night in cold blood by Palestinian terrorists. Hamas praises the killers and PA laws will provide them financial rewards. We need look no further to see why there is no peace." Friedman also said he’s “praying for the bereaved Shevach family."

The family requested to bury Rabbi Shevach in Havat Gilad and the request was granted. The funeral is called for 1:00 pm local Israeli time (6:00 am in eastern US).

Yossi Dagan the head of the Samaria Regional Council said about the tragedy: "It's inconceivable that terrorists feel free to shoot at innocent civilians. Nevertheless, I want to send a clear message to our enemies: We will not give in to terror. We have chosen the path of life."

To the government he said the following:  "I call on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beytenu) to allow this dear family to fulfill their wish and the murdered man's last request and bury our beloved Raziel, may G-d avenge his blood, in the town he loved so much and did so much for. On this awful day, the correct response to this Samaria family and the nation of Israel, and to these lowly terrorists who want to murder Jews and chase us out of our land, is to approve a plan which will make Havat Gilad fully legal."

"Take away all political limitations which prevent construction. Announce that hundreds of new housing units will be built in Havat Gilad. This is the true and right response which will destroy the motivation to carry out terror attacks. They want to hurt us and chase us out of our land through terror attacks and scare tactics, but the Jewish nation will flourish and build, specifically in the exact place where the terror attack occurred."