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Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued the following statement on Wednesday, 20 Teves, following the fatal vehicular terror attack in the Bedouin community of Um Chiran. Staff-Sgt. Erez Levi HY”D was murdered in the attack. Prior to issuing the statement the Prime Minister was briefed by Police Chief Roni Alsheich.

“I send condolences to the family of the anti-terror unit policeman, the late Erez Levi. Erez was an outstanding policeman, the son of a policeman, and he was murdered this morning in a ramming attack.

“This is the second ramming attack in as many days. We are fighting this murderous phenomenon, which has struck both Israel and the world. The State of Israel is, above all, a nation of law in which there will be equal enforcement. Not only will this incident not deter us, it will strengthen us. It will strengthen our determination to enforce the law everywhere.

“I ask everyone, especially members of the Knesset, to be responsible, to stop fanning emotions and inciting toward violence. The Bedouin public is part of us; we want to integrate it into Israeli society and not radicalize it and push it away from the center of our life experience. The police are operating on the ground with authority and nobody has the right to interfere with their mission.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)