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Israeli, Palestinian peace activists visit family of murdered teen

The condolence visit was organized by the Tag Meir group. Meanwhile, official Palestinian Authority TV broadcast a song celebrating the terror attack.

By David Jablinowitz, World Israel News

A joint delegation of Palestinian and Israeli coexistence activists paid a condolence visit on Tuesday to the family of Ori Ansbacher, a 19-year-old Israeli woman who was brutally murdered last week in a forest near Jerusalem in an attack that has been categorized by Israeli security officials as terrorism.

The delegation included some 20 activists from Tag Meir, an organization that aims “to connect different groups in Israeli society in the battle to eradicate racism and violence in Israel” and to “educate for tolerance and empathy.”

Gadi Gvaryahu, Tag Meir’s chairman, headed the delegation, which included Meretz MK Mossi Raz and New Israel Fund CEO Mickey Gitzin.

The Palestinian representation included 10 individuals from Ramallah, Wadi Fuchin, Husan, and Jericho.

One member of the delegation, a Muslim sheikh, said: “I, and many other Palestinians, are devastated by this murder and strongly condemn it. It is unacceptable to us. It is against our law and our religion.”

The group, which visited the family’s home in Tekoa, also brought many letters of condolence said to have been written by Palestinians.

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Israeli security officials said 29-year-old Hebron resident Arafat Irfaiya had confessed to the murder, which they confirmed was a terror attack.

Meanwhile, official Palestinian Authority TV broadcast a song celebrating the terror attack, Palestinian Media Watch reported. “We have given them a taste of grief – a bone in the throat of the Zionists,” the song said.

Ansbacher, a national service volunteer and daughter of a rabbi from the community of Tekoa in Judea, was found with multiple stab wounds to her chest.

The United Nations and European Union have condemned the attack.