by Palestinians in several cities flocked to celebrate a shooting attack by a terrorist in a Tel Aviv suburb on Tuesday night that killed five people.
The terrorist, identified as Diaa Hamarsheh, 26, a Palestinian from near the West Bank city of Jenin, illegally smuggled himself into Israel and started a killing spree with an M16 assault rifle in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak in central Israel, Breitbart News reported.
Palestinians celebrated in front of Hamarsheh’s family home and in other Palestinian towns later that evening.
Dozens of images and videos have surfaced of Palestinians across the West Bank and Gaza Strip traditionally handing out candy following a deadly attack on Israelis.
A question for non-Israelis: Have you ever heard of the practice of handing out sweets to celebrate deaths in terrorist attacks?
Unfortunately, following successful Palestinian terrorist attacks, this practice has become widespread. pic.twitter.com/zrYizxYy36
— Michael Starr (@Starrlord89) March 30, 2022
One of the victims, Avishai Yehezkel, 29, was protecting his two-year-old son when the Palestinian terrorist fired bullets at him. His son remained on the streets after his father was murdered. Aside from the infant, Yehezkel was survived by his wife, who is eight months pregnant.
Israeli forces evacuate a wounded woman from the scene of a shooting attack March 29, 2022 in Bnei Brak. (GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty)
The Ukrainian Embassy in Israel issued a statement condemning the “heinous” attack and confirming that two Ukrainian nationals, Victor Sorokopot, 38, and Dimitri Mitrik, 23, were among the dead.
Palestinians on social media also cheered their deaths, calling them “settlers” even though the two were not Israeli citizens.
At a time when people are morally outraged by just about anything, I have never seen such a level of moral outrage at the practice of celebrating the deaths of victims of terrorism. pic.twitter.com/xT1EINoTzu
— Michael Starr (@Starrlord89) March 30, 2022
The other two victims were Amir Khoury, 32, an Arab Christian police officer who was one of two officers who killed the terrorist, and Yaakov Shalom, 36, the son of a prominent rabbi who died of COVID last year. Shalom was shot point-blank from his car.
He was survived by his mother, wife and four children.
Palestinians hand out sweets to celebrate killing of Israelis https://t.co/Zgl1oeEqzN
— Lahav Harkov (@LahavHarkov) March 29, 2022
Israeli Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai offered his condolences to Khoury’s father Jarris.
“Besides the tragedy, it is important for me to tell you that your son saved the lives of many civilians,” Shabtai said, according to the Times of Israel. “His actions will become a legacy and a reminder of heroism for the whole country.”
The shooting was the third terrorist attack in a week, killing 11 people.
Israeli security forces and emergency responders gather at the scene of a shooting attack March 29, 2022 in Bnei Brak. (JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
“Israel is facing a wave of murderous Arab terrorism,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said late Tuesday. “The security forces are on duty. We will fight terrorism with perseverance, diligence and an iron fist.”
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said he personally welcomed the attack.
“We are proud of the Palestinian people and the free people of the nation in the face of the heroic attack that has struck all of Israel,” he said, adding that the terrorists who carried out the recent attacks are “heroes”.
Do you see the celebrations and the giving out of candy? It is in the Palestinian Authority and the Gaza Strip. They celebrate a terrorist attack, the murder of Israelis – both Jews and Arabs. They celebrate the spilled Israeli blood, from innocent victims, from broken families. pic.twitter.com/VEiqT6LF0B
— יוסף חדאד – Yoseph Haddad (@YosephHaddad) March 30, 2022
