Two suspects in Hebron murder arrested by Israeli forces
Netanyahu and Gallant blame Iran for terror wave
Israeli security forces arrested two brothers suspected of carrying out the terror attack near Hebron on Monday, an IDF spokesperson, Israeli security (Shin Bet) and Border Police confirmed in a statement on Tuesday morning. An Israeli woman was murdered and another man was seriously injured in the attack.
The brothers were captured in their West Bank family home in the city of Hebron and didn’t resist arrest. Security forces also seized the suspected murder weapon, an M-16 rifle, during the operation.
The suspects were questioned immediately after the arrest by Shin Bet interrogators and ctied themselves to the murder.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant praised the “quick and accurate” operation on Tuesday morning.
“The terrorist who cruelly murdered Batsheva Nigri z”l will rot in prison for the rest of their lives. We will take all measures to strengthen security. We will pursue and seize our enemy,” Gallant said.
Batsheva Nigri, 42, was shot dead in a car on Monday in front of her 12-year-old daughter, while the driver Aryeh Gottlieb, 39, was seriously injured while driving on Highway 60 near Hebron.
In the evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gallant visited the site of the attack and said that Iran was behind the recent terror wave.
“We are in the midst of a terrorist assault encouraged, directed and financed by Iran and its proxies,” Netanyahu said. “It must be understood that a considerable portion of this terror wave comes as a result of outside guidance.”
“It is important to understand the significant change that is taking place on the ground - it is related to Iranian funding, and to the proliferation of weapons under the Iranian directive,” Gallant added. “Iran seeks every means to harm the citizens of Israel.”
Netanyahu also reiterated his support of Israel's security forces amid numerous attacks by coalition members who blame the IDF for failing to prevent the terror incidents.
“I would like to give full backing to the commanders and soldiers who are working day and night to protect the residents in order to protect us all, and we must all back them,” Netanyahu stressed.
The turbulent situation in recent months has increased the confidence of terror organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah, security officials told Army Radio on Monday.
According to officials, this is the reason that Netanyahu and Gallant pointed to Tehran after the most recent attack, as the Iranian regime is the main financier of its terror proxies, Hezbollah and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, providing considerable funds to the Hamas terror group.
Iran is also responsible for attempts to smuggle weapons into the West Bank via Jordan, the officials added.
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The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
