Photos from Twitter A Hamas terrorist shot and killed a 26-year-old South African immigrant in East Jerusalem on November 21.
The victim, Eliyahu David Kay, was walking toward the Old City for work––he had worked as a tour guide for the Western Wall Heritage Foundation––when he was shot and killed. Four others were injured as well; the terrorist was killed in a shootout with police.
Israeli Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev told the Israeli Kan television network the terrorist, identified as Fadi Abu Shkhaydam, was a member of Hamas’ political wing and lived in the East Jerusalem neighborhood Shuafat. Hamas praised Abu Shkhaydam for the attack and handed out sweets to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to celebrate the attack.
A Hamas terrorist opened fire in the Old City of Jerusalem this morning, murdering a civilian.
Soon after, Hamas distributed sweets to Palestinians in Gaza and praised the "heroic" terrorist.
Hamas is a terrorist organization that promotes violence and must be condemned. pic.twitter.com/E5kZDuLbJQ
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 21, 2021
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement, “Our heartfelt condolences go to his parents, Avi and Devora Kay, his fiancé and his family and friends in Israel and South Africa. May his memory be a blessing.” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said while in Britain that “the fact that the terrorist was from Hamas’ ‘political wing’ compels the international community to recognize it as a terror group.” On November 19, Britain announced its intention to designate Hamas in its entirety as a terror organization, including its political wing.
State Department spokesman Ned Price also said in a statement, “We strongly condemn the terrorist attack today by a Hamas gunman in Jerusalem’s Old City, which killed one person and injured others. We offer our condolences to the victims and their families.”
Jewish groups also offered condolences and condemnations of Hamas.
“Hamas is a terrorist group,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted. “Today’s murderous attack in Jerusalem, lauded by Hamas leadership, shows why the UK is right to abandon the fiction of ‘political’ vs ‘military’ wings and ban Hamas in its entirety. More countries should do the same.”
Hamas is a terrorist group. Today’s murderous attack in Jerusalem, lauded by Hamas leadership, shows why the UK is right to abandon the fiction of “political” vs “military” wings and ban Hamas in its entirety. More countries should do the same. https://t.co/S4HSQSwOW0
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) November 21, 2021
The American Jewish Committee also tweeted, “We are horrified by the Hamas terrorist attack in Jerusalem this morning in which one Israeli man was killed and several others wounded. We mourn with the victim’s family and wish a swift recovery to those injured.”
We are horrified by the Hamas terrorist attack in Jerusalem this morning in which one Israeli man was killed and several others wounded.
We mourn with the victim’s family and wish a swift recovery to those injured.https://t.co/smlMVvTeeG
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) November 21, 2021
The Simon Wiesenthal Center tweeted, “Murderer was a religious teacher brainwashing Palestinians with #Hamas genocide + hate. US and other donor nations should stop turning a blind eye. Stop [sending money] to corrupted Palestinian education!” Writer Emily Schrader tweeted out a video of one of Abu Shkhaydam’s students saying that “he never cursed anyone… except the Jews. May God burn them.”
Murderer was a religious teacher brainwashing Palestinians with #Hamas genocide + hate. US and other donor nations should stop turning a blind eye. Stop $$$$ to corrupted Palestinian education! https://t.co/3lu5adSsiX
— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) November 21, 2021
“Hey Siri, show me what incitement looks like.”
Weeping student of Palestinian terrorist: “he never cursed anyone, only the Jews” pic.twitter.com/wruee8mc9n
— Emily Schrader – אמילי שריידר امیلی شریدر (@emilykschrader) November 22, 2021
StandWithUs tweeted, “We stand with Eliyahu’s family during this difficult time. May his memory forever be a blessing.”
Eliyahu David Kay had been named as the victim murdered by a Hamas terrorist in #Jerusalem. He was only 26 years old.
We stand with Eliyahu's family during this difficult time.
May his memory forever be a blessing. pic.twitter.com/gekxMnL9FD— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) November 21, 2021
Stop Antisemitism tweeted a video of blood from the victims being washed away to Representatives Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MN), stating: “#JewishBlood today in Jerusalem, a result of Hamas’ terror you refuse to condemn.”
Your “from the river to the sea” @IlhanMN @RashidaTlaib – #JewishBlood today in Jerusalem, a result of Hamas’ terror you refuse to condemn. pic.twitter.com/0GCr9bvnBD
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) November 21, 2021
The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (CoP) said in a statement that they are “appalled” by the attack. “Hamas, as a whole, is committed the destruction of Israel, the murder of Jewish civilians, and the use of indiscriminate terror,” they said, praising Britain for their recent move on Hamas. “Too many countries indulge in the dangerous fallacy that there are legitimate parts of Hamas’ operations.”
The CoP added that Abu Shkhaydam’s family will receive compensation from the Palestinian Authority (PA) as a result of the government’s “pay-to-slay” policy. “This slush fund is a constant incentive and instigator for terror activities and murders of innocent civilians,” they said. “Until this ‘pay-to-slay’ practice is eliminated, the PA cannot be viewed as a legitimate partner for peace, and nations that fund it must seriously consider the connection between their money and the spilling of civilian blood.”
Judea Pearl, Chancellor Professor of Computer Science at UCLA, National Academy of Sciences member and Daniel Pearl Foundation President, tweeted that when he weeps for Kay, “I weep for my son Daniel – your brother in pain – two treasures crushed in the claws of Barbaric terrorism. Danny and Eli, my two fallen sons, it was not the barbarians alone who killed you; Western intellectuals were there all along, watching Barbarians sharpen their knives, explaining, justifying, rationalizing, legitimizing, everything but criminalizing. Let there be no silence on your graves, Eli and Danny, no rest, until those justifiers stand trial, in the high court of history.”
Eli, Eli, my newly fallen son.
When I weep for you, I weep for my son Daniel – your brother in pain – two treasures crushed in the claws of Barbaric terrorism. Danny and Eli, my two fallen sons, it was not the barbarians alone who killed you; Western intellectuals were (1/2)— Judea Pearl (@yudapearl) November 22, 2021
there all along, watching Barbarians sharpen their knives, explaining, justifying, rationalizing, legitimizing, everything but criminalizing.
Let there be no silence on your graves, Eli and Danny, no rest, until those justifiers stand trial, in the high court of history. (2/2)— Judea Pearl (@yudapearl) November 22, 2021
Thousands of people attended Kay’s funeral on November 22, The Times of Israel reported. Kay’s father, Avi, told Channel 12 News that Kay “was a great musician, enjoyed music, enjoyed partying, enjoyed his friends. Then he went to yeshiva and excelled. And then he decided he was going to go to the army.” Avi added: “his is the way Hashem chose for him to go — in the place that he loved, in the city that he loved. And, who knows, maybe because of him, many, many other people are here today.”
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