The Palestinian terrorist who shot and killed five Israelis on March 29 reportedly came into Israel through a “gap” in the West Bank security barrier.
The Times of Israel (TOI) reported that, according to Channel 12, Diaa Hamarsheh, 27, “switched out the license plates on the car and brought the M-16 used in the attack with him.” The Jerusalem Post also reported that Channel 12 News reporter Gilad Shalmor discovered in December that “that tens of thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank enter Israel daily through holes in security fences, and the IDF [Israel Defense Force] largely turns a blind eye.”
Additionally, on March 16, the IDF decided not to seal off the borders of the barrier for the first time in five years, calling the area “quiet and stable.”
Then just to remind that the decision not to seal off West Bank was made just week and a half ago, because West Bank was “quiet and stable”… https://t.co/wadkhiMoUh pic.twitter.com/OYVO04e4RY
— Michael Elgort 🇺🇦✡️ (@just_whatever) March 29, 2022
Writer Yoni Michanie tweeted, “Last night’s terrorist entered Israel through a gap in the security fence. If you’re sitting across the world and are arguing that taking down the security barrier will bring about an end to Palestinian terrorism, remember: You won’t be in Israel to pay the price.”
Last night's terrorist entered Israel through a gap in the security fence. If you're sitting across the world and are arguing that taking down the security barrier will bring about an end to Palestinian terrorism, remember:
You won't be in Israel to pay the price.
— Yoni Michanie (@YoniMichanie) March 30, 2022
In a separate report, TOI noted that the terrorist had been imprisoned for planning a suicide bombing attempt against Israelis; in 2011, the terrorist openly asked Hamas and Islamic Jihad for aid in the attempt on social media. He served six months in prison on a plea bargain deal, with a judge ruling that the terrorist’s family would “rehabilitate and supervise him.”
The Post also noted that the terrorist had been illegally working at an Israeli construction site and cited figures from the International Labor Organization that 26,000 Palestinians worked illegally in Israel and in Israeli settlements in 2020. The legal consequences for those who illegally employ Palestinians in Israel “are usually not harsh and do not include jail time,” the report stated.
The terrorist was killed by one of his victims, 32-year-old Arab-Israeli police officer Amir Khoury. Two of the victims, Dimitri Mitrik and Victor Sorokopot, were Ukrainian foreign workers. The other two victims have been identified as Rabbi Avishai Yehezkel and Ya’akov Shalom.
Yesterday, 5 innocent lives in #Israel were stolen by terror.
5 innocent lives that represented somebody's father, son or husband.
5 innocent lives who didn't deserve to be murdered.
Maj. Amir Khoury🕯️
Ya'akov Shalom🕯️
Rabbi Avishai Yehezkel🕯️
Dimitri Mitrik🕯️
Victor Sorokopot🕯️ pic.twitter.com/SzkquaYZMj— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) March 30, 2022
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett urged Israelis to carry a firearm, preaching “vigilance and responsibility” in a March 30 video statement. “Whoever has a gun license, this is the time to carry a gun,” Bennett said, per TOI.
