by Tovah Lazaroff
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir suggested that the gov't authorize seven outposts in response to the terror attacks.
 |
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seen in a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on January 29, 2023
(photo credit: HAIM ZACH/GPO)
Advertisement |
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to strip family members of terrorists of residency and or citizenship rights and to expand settlement activity when he spoke at the start of the weekly government meeting.
"Today, the government will discuss...revoking Israeli identity cards and residency of families of terrorists that support terrorism,” Netanyahu said.
He spoke in the aftermath of two weekend terror attacks, including one on Friday night targeting a synagogue in Jerusalem’s Neve Yaakov neighborhood that claimed seven lives.
Security cabinet takes retaliatory, defensive measures following terror attacks
Netanyahu told the government that the security cabinet had met on Saturday night and taken a series of retaliatory and defensive measures.
This included increasing the deployment of security forces in sensitive areas and the immediate sealing off of the family home of the terrorist, Netanyahu explained.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seen visiting Israelis injured in
terror attacks across Jerusalem on January 29, 2023 (credit: HAIM
ZACH/GPO)“This morning we sealed off the house of the terrorist who carried out the criminal [synagogue] attack in Jerusalem - his home will be demolished,” Netanyahu said.
The security cabinet also decided to strip national insurance benefits from family members of terrorists, he told the government. These measures are only applicable to those who engage in terror who are residents or citizens of the state of Israel. Both the perpetrators of the weekend terror attacks had east Jerusalem residency.
The government will discuss expediting gun licenses to thousands of Israeli citizens, including on medical emergency teams who are often among the first responders to a terror attack.
“ZAKA has 3,000 mobile volunteers throughout the country. Only a small percentage of them are armed. Imagine if they and others were armed. Of course, this would significantly increase the response capability because as we have seen, time and again, including yesterday in the City of David, that heroic, armed and trained civilians save lives,” Netanyahu said.
In addition, he said, “we will decide soon on steps to strengthen settlement in Judea and Samaria in order to make it clear to the terrorists who seek to uproot us from our land that we are here to stay,” he said.
Prior to the security cabinet meeting on Saturday night, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich suggested authorizing the E1 project, which would allow for close to 3,500 new settler homes to be built in the Ma’aleh Adumim settlement.
He also suggested that the Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Council for Judea and Samaria authorize all the settler housing plans on its agenda.
Ben-Gvir: Authorize seven outpost for seven terror victims
On Sunday, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir suggested that the government immediately authorize seven outposts.
Netanyahu did not expand on the steps he would take to strengthen the settlements. He said he had “also instructed the Director of the National Security Council to evaluate additional steps that came up before the Security Cabinet and which will be presented to the public later on.”
The prime minister recalled that he had come to the government after visiting those wounded in the terror attacks at the Shaare Zedek and Hadassah-Mt. Scopus hospitals in Jerusalem.
“We all wish them a speedy and complete recovery and stand with the medical teams that are treating them with boundless dedication,” Netanyahu said.
“The terrorists seek to slaughter us indiscriminately; therefore, we must all unite as one in the relentless fight against them. We will defeat them,” Netanyahu said.
Tovah Lazaroff
Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-729960
No comments:
Post a Comment