“My policy is clear. Whoever defends himself against stone-throwing should be rewarded by the IDF,” National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Sunday in the wake of an incident in the Palestinian village of Burka, near Ramallah, that resulted in the shooting death of a 19-year-old Palestinian man named Kosai Matan at the hands of an Israeli living in Oz Zion.
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said that “Break a man's head, hit him in the head. So he doesn't have to shoot and defend himself? Where's the question mark? We're in the Europe of the 1930s when a Jew walks by and gets beaten and has to keep quiet? I don't know what was there."
Aside from Ben-Gvir and Eliyahu, comments from coalition members were absent on Sunday. The shooting occurred after a group of Israelis entered and a confrontation began. As a result, shots were fired and Matan was killed.
One of the arrested Israelis is Elisha Yered, a 22-year-old who previously served as the spokesperson for Otzma Yehudit MK Limor Son Har-Malech, who last week backed up statements from Likud MK Avichay Buaron, who on Tuesday accused Maj.-Gen. Yehuda Fuchs of valuing Palestinians over Israelis.
Son Har-Melech said on Wednesday on Kol Berama radio, “I unequivocally back the comments by Buaron.” She also pointed her finger at Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, saying that “he knowingly endangers the lives of the residents of Judea and Samaria,” and ostensibly calling for his removal. “I would prefer a different defense minister.”
She commented Saturday evening, in response to Friday’s incident, that “When a patrolman in Tel Aviv kills a terrorist, he is applauded by all the security forces, but when a Jew defends his life in Binyamin from an Arab mob, he is killed.
“He was arrested while still wounded. I suggest that the security system direct its forces to deal with the nests of terrorism instead of persecuting the residents of Binyamin who hold on to our country with devotion."
She added on Sunday morning on Ynet that "It is clear that [Yered] did not shoot and was not an accomplice to the shooting... We knew it was a matter of time before there would be a life-threatening event.”
Yehiel Indore, the other Israeli arrested, is the one suspected of firing the fatal shots.
The US State Department, which has been highly critical of Israeli actions in Judea and Samaria, released a statement saying that ”We strongly condemn the terrorist attack carried out by extremist settlers, which killed a 19-year-old Palestinian. The United States sends its deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. We note that Israel carried out a number of arrests, and we demand full responsibility and justice.”
National Missions Minister Orit Struck pushed back against the US State Department, saying “the American administration, with all respect and friendship, did not investigate the incident to its end. There are films filmed by the Palestinians themselves in which they see a kind of lynching.”
The right-wing legal defense group Honenu defended Yered and Indore, saying that the shooting was in self-defense.
Honenu said that the incident began when a Jewish shepherd from Oz Zion was grazing his flock on land located between his community and Burka.
A group of Palestinians then approached and threatened him and he called for other residents of Oz Zion to come help him, it said.
After which “dozens of Arab rioters armed with clubs, fireworks, and rocks began to attack the residents in a severe and life-threatening manner. They called the security forces and civilian forces to help them,” it explained.
Reports are that Indore was hit in the head with a rock, for which he is currently in the hospital in serious condition, "and with his last strength, he used his personal weapon" and killed Matan.
Israeli opposition condemns settler killing of Palestinian teenager
Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) condemned the event, saying that “it endangers Judea and Samaria, which is mostly law-abiding citizens, endangers our soldiers, and harming the innocent is against every Jewish or democratic value. The backing they receive from the extreme coalition in the country's history is a political attack.
“Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu should severely condemn the violence that harms national security, the IDF, and Judea and Samaria.”
MK Ahmad Tibi of Hadash Ta’al said that "Has the military arm of the coalition already taken responsibility for the Burka attack? Is Limor Son Har-Malech proud of the act of her helpers?”
The IDF spokesperson commented, "A report was received about a violent confrontation between Israeli civilians and Palestinians in the village of Burka. It was reported that during the confrontation the Israeli citizens shot at the Palestinians, resulting in the death of a Palestinian. In addition, reports were received of Israeli citizens injured by stone-throwing. Following the report, the IDF, the Israel Police, and other security forces arrived at the scene and are now investigating."
National Unity head Benny Gantz wrote on Twitter that “Dangerous Jewish nationalist terrorism is developing in front of us - burning houses, vehicles, shooting, and many incidents of taking the law into one's hands to the point of harming IDF soldiers.
“The event in Burka, whatever the circumstances, joins a chain of events that result in security forces chasing Israelis instead of protecting them.
“The price of the silence of our national leadership, the lack of backing for the security forces of the heads of the regime, and the fact that members of the government and coalition support those extremists - a stain that will not be erased on our image, and a danger to our security.”
In response to the criticism and a reported letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu from Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) head Ronen Bar about the threat these attacks pose, Son Har-Melech said that “I have a deep appreciation for the soldiers and endless love for the security personnel. But it is impossible to ignore today that within the senior command ranks have permeated a perception and policy that, as I said earlier, does not know how to distinguish between an enemy and our people.
“They do not know how to distinguish between those who should be taken care of. There are many things in their conduct, especially in relation to those residents of Judea and Samaria.”
MK Tally Gotliv (Likud) also spoke out again the reports of Bar’s message, saying that ”the ideas of the left have also reached the top of the Shin Bet. The depth of the 'Deep State' has reached the head of the Shin Bet and the heads of the IDF. The timing of the announcement by the head of the Shin Bet is outrageous.”
Lapid responded to the attacks on Bar on Twitter, saying, "As prime minister, I worked closely and intensively with Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. I have not the faintest idea what his political views are, but I know that he is an excellent professional, a fearless fighter, an Israeli patriot, and above all the leader of an organization that is under attack both by Palestinian terrorism and by Jewish terrorism.”
Gallant pushed back, saying "Thanks to the members of the Shin Bet and their leader, who operate away from the public eye, the lives of Israeli citizens are saved every day. Any attack by members of the public against the Shin Bet harms the security of the country and its citizens."