Israeli opposition leader blames Ben-Gvir for synagogue attack

[ad_1]

JERUSALEM

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has held National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir responsible for a shooting that killed at least seven Israelis near a synagogue in occupied East Jerusalem.

“You are responsible, take responsibility instead of looking all day for someone to blame,” Lapid told local Ynet radio.

“This man can’t do anything, he lives in the TikTok [mobile application] and looking for someone to blame,” Lapid added.

The opposition leader also accused Ben-Gvir of failing to fulfill his duties as national security minister.

The indictment came after seven Israeli settlers were killed in a shootout near a synagogue in East Jerusalem’s Neve Yaakov settlement on Friday night.

On Saturday, Ben-Gvir accused Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of delaying ordering the closure of the Palestinian attacker’s home.

Israeli settlers verbally attacked Ben-Gvir as he drove to the scene of the attack on Friday. A video published by the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper shows the far-right minister being escorted by police amid verbal altercations with settlers.

Ben-Gvir sparked a storm of Palestinian condemnation on January 3, when he visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem amid warnings of unrest.

Ben-Gvir holds far-right views of the Palestinians and has called for their removal. He repeatedly joined Israeli settlers in storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem.

In November, Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned in an audio leak that “the whole world is worried” about Ben-Gvir’s far-right views.

On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a request by Ben-Gvir to allow settlers to stage a “provocative” flag march in Jerusalem.

Friday’s synagogue attack came a day after nine Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in an Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin.

*Written by Ahmed Asmar

The Anadolu Agency website contains only part of the news offered to subscribers of the AA News Broadcast System (HAS), and in summary form. Please contact us for subscription options.

[ad_2]