IDF demolishes Arab pizzerias that mocked Holocaust survivor forced to pose with Hamas terrorist

Owners apologize in Hebrew, claiming the ad was run without their knowledge.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

The IDF sealed and partly destroyed a pizzeria Thursday night in the Palestinian town of Huwara a day after it mocked a Holocaust survivor forced to pose with a Hamas terrorist last Saturday, by using her image in an ad.

In the original picture, publicized by the terrorists during their invasion of Gaza envelope communities that began the Iron Swords War, Esther Konio is shown sitting in a light housedress, grimacing and holding the rifle of a terrorist standing over her. She is making a “V” for victory sign with her fingers. The ad photoshopped her holding a pizza pie in her hand instead.

The 90-year-old lived on Kibbutz Nir Oz, on the Gazan border. Ynet reported, in contrast to other media outlets, that she was not taken into Gaza, but two of her grandchildren are missing and presumed among some 150 innocent elderly, babies, men and women who were kidnapped during the surprise attack.

Dozens of Jewish youth from the Israeli town of Yitzhar, north of the the village of Huwara which has been the site of several recent murderous terrorist attacks, came to demonstrate in front of the shop, demanding that it be “blown up.” Their call was echoed by Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan.

The Honenu legal organization immediately wrote to Central Command head Maj. Gen. Yehuda Fuchs demanding that the restaurant be sealed due to its implicit support of the massive assault that has so far taken the lives of at least 1,400 men, women and children.

“It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of immediate enforcement, in way that will be of unequivocal deterrence, which is needed at this time against such phenomena,” lawyer Ofir Steiner of Honenu’s civil department wrote.

“They certainly must not be allowed to humiliate in such a terrible way the victims of the terrorist incident, whose families’ eyes have not yet dried from their tears,” he added.

The whole front of the eatery was destroyed, presumable to enable it to be sealed. Fuchs wrote in his order that “the Eiffel Bakery and Supermarket” was sealed because “the place is used for incitement activity and support for terror operations.” It is to remain closed for five months.

The owners posted an apology for the ad to Facebook in Hebrew, claiming that they were not its instigators.

“We are very sorry for the picture that was posted. It was of course done without our knowledge, someone tried to hurt us. We are against harming men and women and just want to earn a living with dignity and live in peace with everyone,” it read. “We are very sorry to the members of our family and others who were hurt.”

Honenu claimed that the pizzeria’s owner is not an innocent, as he had seriously injured a Jewish youth several years ago with a rock. He had never faced charges due to a lack of evidence.

The Ice news site reported that another pizzeria, in Silwad northeast of Ramallah, had come out with a similar campaign to advertise its delivery service.

Residents of Silwad later claimed that the pizzeria was demolished, while a third pizzeria which used Konio’s image has reportedly been sealed off by IDF forces in Birzeit, near Ramallah.