Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant agree to fast-track construction of 1,000 new housing units in Eli, adjacent to scene of Tuesday’s deadly terrorist shooting attack.
By David Rosenberg, World Israel News
The Israeli government will fast-track approval for 1,000 new homes in the town of Eli in Samaria, in response to the deadly terrorist shooting attack which took place just outside the town Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich agreed to immediately advance plans for 1,000 new housing units in Eli.
“Our answer to terrorism is to strike at it forcefully and build up our country,” the three leaders said in a joint statement Wednesday afternoon.
Four Israeli Jews were murdered in Tuesday’s attack, which was carried out by two Palestinian Arab terrorists affiliated with Hamas – Mohannad Shahada and Khaled Saba.
The victims were identified as Ofer Fairman, 64, Harel Masoud, 21, Elisha Antman, 18, and Nachman Shmuel Mordoff, 17. Four others were wounded in the attack.
Both terrorists responsible for the attack had previously sat in Israel’s Megiddo prison on terror-related charges, and both were shot and killed Tuesday.
During the attack, Shahada and Saba drove up to a gas station adjacent to the town of Eli and opened fire on Israeli civilians with M-16 assault rifles.
Orit Strock (Religious Zionist Party), Minister of National Missions, lauded Wednesday’s joint announcement.
“A thousand more Jewish families in the place where Jewish lives were cut short. Every terrorist must know that this was the Zionist price tag for murdering Jews. In the place from where they try to uproot us – there we will deepen our roots. Not instead of eliminating the terrorists, not instead of the checkpoints, and not instead of drying up the terrorist swamp. But absolutely as a necessary and clear Zionist step.”
Two of the victims murdered in the attack – 21-year-old Harel Masoud and 18-year-old Elisha Antman – were laid to rest Tuesday evening.
The funerals for Ofer Fairman, 64, and Nachman Shmuel Mordoff, 17 were held on Wednesday.