Bereaved father, minister demand death penalty at terror victim’s funeral

“There must be a death penalty, rather than feeding them [in jail] for dozens of years at the state’s expense,” the father of a 20-year-old terror victim said at the funeral, where Minister Ofir Akunis made the same demand.

By: World Israel News Staff

Two young men in the prime of life, victims of Palestinian terror, were buried Sunday.

Ala Qabha, 26, from the Palestinian village of Barta’a, rammed his vehicle into security forces Friday afternoon, killing Netanel Kahalani and Ziv Daos and seriously wounding two others, before fleeing the scene. Qabha was later found and arrested and, under questioning, admitted that he wanted to kill Israelis.

Kahalani, 20, an army driver from the community of Elyakim in northern Israel, was posthumously given the rank of sergeant. He is survived by his parents and four brothers.

Daos, 21, from the town of Azor in the Tel Aviv district, served in a rescue team and was posthumously awarded the rank of captain. He is survived by his parents and two sisters.

Another victim is fighting for his life.

‘I don’t know if I can go on’

“I have not yet processed this and I don’t know if I can go on,” Kahalani’s father said at the funeral, Ynet reported. “I loved you so much, and I lost you in a second. Twenty years is nothing, but I am thankful for them.”

“It doesn’t help to destroy their [terrorists’] homes. There must be a death penalty, rather than feeding them [in jail] for dozens of years at the state’s expense,” he demanded. “It won’t do any good.”

“I have another son in the army [in the Golani Brigade’s 12th battalion] and another is about to enlist. Who can promise me that he will return safe and sound? I already don’t sleep at night,” he told Ynet.

“My Netanel, my beloved,” his mother Naomi eulogized, Ynet continued. “My dear child, how am I going to say goodbye to you today? I always knew we would separate, but I never imagined it would be this soon. You were a wonderful child, you loved living, you were full of life. My good boy with the heart of gold, thank you for 20 years of grace, love and friendship. We will never separate, you will always be in my heart. I love you very much, and I wish we would one day meet in eternity.”

‘Simply Cruel’ to run over living people

Kahalani’s brothers also eulogized him, expressing their devastation, according to Ynet. “It’s simply cruel of a person to see living people and turn the wheel against them. I’ve never understood this cruelty, and I never will,” his brother Yehonatan said.

Deus’ grandfather cried during the funeral, “Why? What did we do?,” Arutz-7 reported.

“Why do we deserve this? You are etched into our soul,” his father cried.

Weeping over the fresh grave, his mother mourned, “Who is now going to tell me, ‘Mom, thank God everything is okay’?”

“A two-legged animal murdered Lieutenant Ziv Daos and Sergeant Netanel Kahalani in the spring of their live. Whoever takes another’s life should know his life will be taken in return—it is time to give the death punishment to terrorists,” stated Minister Ofir Akunis, Ynet reported.