Miri Regev. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
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While from Right to Left, politicians sent their condolences to the family of the Israeli who was killed in the terrorist attacks on Sunday, Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev took this opportunity to attack Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz.
“I wish the wounded to recover and my heart is with the family of the person murdered,” Regev said. “You saw my argument with Ahmed Tibi, who is not willing to condemn the murder of the dead girl,” Regev said. “That is exactly the incitement, and with this person [Tibi], Gantz and Lapid want to create a bloc to form a government.” Regev said this, as many on the right have accused Gantz of hoping to create a coalition with Tibi. Gantz has repeatably denied the accusations.
Gantz and Blue and White candidate Gabi Ashkenazi, former chief of staff of the IDF, slammed Regev for her remarks.
Never in the history of the state, has a minister in Israel used the death of those killed in terror attacks for political propaganda even before the funerals of those killed,” Gantz tweeted. “Out of respect for the victims, we will not respond beyond that at this point in time.”
“The incident hasn’t ended and the dead are not yet buried and Miri Regev, who is a former senior IDF officer, is already dancing on the blood with cheap politics,” Ashkenazi said. “There’s also a state to run, she should be ashamed of herself and stop, we are sick of it.”
The Labor party also decided to attack Regev for her comments and tweeted a photo of her laughing with the word “Shame” written over it.
The tweet claimed that “The casualty’s family just now received the worst message of all, two wounded are fighting for their lives, and Miri Regev is already using the attack for her elections campaign. Shame!”
משפחת ההרוג בפיגוע מקבלת ממש עכשיו את הבשורה הנוראה מכל. שני פצועים קשה נאבקים על חייהם. ומירי רגב הנלוזה כבר מנצלת את הפיגוע לתעמולת בחירות. בושה! pic.twitter.com/Cc1BhuEL96
— מפלגת העבודה (@HavodaParty) March 17, 2019
While Netanyahu did not outright attack Gantz, he echoed his political slogan of “Netanyahu – Right, Strong,” and “Gantz – Left, Weak.”
“We are in the middle of pursuing the terrorists in two locations in the Ariel area,” Netanyahu said during the weekly cabinet meeting. “I am strengthening the hands of IDF soldiers, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the security forces chasing the terrorists. I am sure they will capture them and take the same judgment as we did in all the recent cases.”
MK Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, a New Right Party member, blamed the Palestinian leadership for the terrorist attacks and called for a stronger policy in concern to demolishing the homes of terrorists.
“Responsibility for the attack lies with the Palestinian leadership, which operates an incitement machine that oils the calls for the murder of Jews,” Refaeli said. “Israel must prove to the Arabs that terrorism does not pay. Therefore, terrorists’ homes must be demolished immediately. Empty declarations of demolition are worth nothing as long as the houses of the terrorists are standing.”
“A firm policy on the matter will create an understanding for every terrorist who wants to attack that his family will pay the price and his house will be demolished,” Refaeli added.
Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz took a different angle and blamed Palestinian schools for the “incitement” behind the terrorist attacks.
“We again were informed of a horrific attack in Judea and Samaria at the entrance to the city of Ariel,” Steinitz said. “These attacks are the result of the antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement that the Palestinian children learn in kindergarten. We will continue to fight terrorism with determination until we destroy it.”
Meretz Chairman MK Tamar Zandberg also responded to the attack and followed with an attack on the Right.
“I sympathize with the family of the deceased and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded in the terror attack in Ariel,” Zandberg tweeted. “This cycle of blood must be stopped. And it will not stop because from the hustle and bustle of war from the Right. It will come from a change of direction.”
Knesset Speaker Yoel “Yuli” Edelstein (Likud) also focused on Israel’s security.
“It’s a hard and painful morning,” Edelstein said. “Pray together with all of Israel for the safety of the wounded and strengthen the hands of the security forces currently operating in the area.”
A double terrorist attack occurred in the West Bank on Sunday morning, during which one Israeli was killed and several were injured.
Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.
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