World leaders and representatives from several countries condemned Friday’s terror attack, in which Rina Shnerb was murdered and her father, Eitan, and brother Dvir were severely injured.
By: Arye Green
The horrific attack shocked many around the world, and prominent diplomatic figures expressed their regret over the horrific attack and condemned the attackers.
Nickolay Mladenov, the United Nations’ Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, condemned the attack, calling it a cowardly act. “Shocking, heinous bomb attack in the West Bank today. There is nothing “heroic” in murder! NOTHING! It is a despicable, cowardly act! Terror must be unequivocally condemned by ALL”
Jason Greenblatt, the US’s Special Representative for International Negotiations, decried the attack as “another savage attack by Palestinian terrorists kills an Israeli teenager enjoying time with her family. This isn’t the path to peace, just endless suffering. May her memory be a blessing. Our prayers are with her family especially her father & brother also wounded in the attack.”
The ambassadors to Israel from the US, EU, UK and Cyprus have all issued heartfelt statements wishing those injured a speedy recovery, and regretting the loss of life in the terror attack.
Shnerb was buried on Friday, and thousands attended her funeral. Her brother and father weren’t able to attend her funeral due to their severe injuries.
In other developments, an Arab supermarket worker who tied up a special needs Jewish co-worker and humiliated him on camera at the Gush Etzion market is now facing severe legal action.
Footage posted on Facebook by the perpetrator shows him forcing the special needs person to repeat after him various statements and follow his commands while the man is bound in nylon wrapper.
The attacked co-worker, an Ultra-Orthodox young man with special needs from Beitar Illit, is suing his attacker with the help of Itamar Ben-Gvir, a known lawyer who is currently running for Knesset in the Otzma Yehudit party.
The Arab worker, who has since been summoned for questioning by the Shufersal supermarket they both worked at, claimed it was all a misunderstanding, and that they were only having fun together. “We were only joking,” he said about the incident. He claimed they’re friends and that “it wasn’t like everyone is saying, Arab against Jew, we have been working together for five years. I wasn’t hitting him as everyone said.” He also added that he is “sorry for what happened.”
Shufersal has publicly apologized for the incident, which happened inside the supermarket during working hours. “We employ hundreds of special needs workers, we will not allow any employee to hurt another, especially not a disadvantaged one,” said Itzik Abercohen, CEO of the Shufersal Group.
Ben-Gvir said in response that this is not the first time that the man with special needs has been assaulted by his Arab co-workers, and Shufersal knew about the incidents but did not intervene.
“I took this case upon myself, to help the young man who was humiliated. I was shocked to learn this was not the first time. They did this to him regularly.” He charged. He said they are suing the co-worker, as well as Shufersal.
The incident has already caused Shufersal harm, as the video of the event has spread across social media, with calls to boycott the supermarket chain and cancel memberships as a form of protest. (TPS)
