| Itamar massacre | |
|---|---|
 The victims of the attack. (Clockwise, from top left:) Ruth Fogel (35), Udi Fogel (36), Hadas (3 months), Yoav (11), Elad (4) | |
  The attack site | |
| Location | 32°10′27″N35°18′30″E / 32.17417°N 35.30833°E /32.17417; 35.30833 Itamar,West Bank, (Area C) |
| Date | 11 March 2011; 14 years ago (2011-03-11) Midnight (GMT+2) |
Attack type | Stabbing/shooting attack |
| Weapons | Knife M16 rifle |
| Deaths | 5 Israeli civilians (including 3 children) |
| Perpetrators | Amjad Awad Hakim Awad[1] |
TheItamar attack,[2] also called theItamar massacre,[3]was a terrorist attack on an Israeli family in theIsraeli settlement ofItamar in theWest Bank that took place on 11 March 2011, in which five members of the same family were murdered in their beds. The victims were the father Ehud (Udi) Fogel, the mother Ruth Fogel, and three of their six children—Yoav, 11, Elad, 4, and Hadas, the youngest, a three-month-old infant. The infant was decapitated.[4] The settlement of Itamar had been the target of several murderous attacks before these killings.[5]
Amjad Awad and Hakim Awad, two young Palestinian cousins from the village ofAwarta, were arrested for the murders. On 5 June 2011 the two men were indicted on five counts of murder, stealing weapons, breaking and entering, and conspiracy to commit a crime. Both were later convicted. They initially denied any involvement in the attack[6] but later proudly confessed to the murders,[7] expressing no remorse and reenacting the attack before security officials.[8]
The attack was harshly condemned by the United Nations, theQuartet on the Middle East, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, and many other governments, as well as thePalestinian Authority and a number of non-governmental organizations.Xinhua, the official press agency of the People's Republic of China, stated that the attack was praised by thePalestinian Islamic Jihad. TheAl-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, who self-identifies as the military wing ofFatah, stated that "the heroic operation is a natural response to the(Israeli) occupation crimes against our people inWest Bank andGaza Strip."[9] An opinion poll indicated that 63% of Palestinians opposed and about one-third supported the attack. One of the perpetrators of the murders was described as a "hero" and a "legend" by members of his family, during a weekly program.[10] Itamar and its outposts are known as a particularly violent against their Palestinian neighbours.[11][relevant? –discuss]
Due to an increase in security measures by thePalestinian National Authority, operations by Palestinian militant organizations in theWest Bank had been declining. Over the previous two years, Israel had removed a number of roadblocks and checkpoints, although a security fence remained in place around Itamar. The terrorist attack was the first to kill Israeli settlers since adrive-by shooting in August 2010 left four dead nearKiryat Arba.[12] Attacks on Jewish settlers in the West Bank had been defended by some Palestinian militants on previous occasions, describing them as combatants in theconflict rather than civilians.[13]
Itamar, with a population of 1,032 (2009) had seen numerous confrontations between Israelis and Palestinians. Tensions between Itamar and the nearby Palestinian village of Awarta had been rising before the attack. Palestinians had accused settlers of cutting down olive trees,[12] burning cars and shooting at Palestinian residents. Ten Palestinians and one Israeli were injured in a confrontation in the week before the attack, when Israeli soldiers were accused of using live fire to quell the clash.[13]
The attack was carried out by cousins Amjad Mahmad Awad (18) and Hakim Mazen Awad (17).[14] Hakim was a high school student whose father, Mazen, is active in thePFLP. Mazen had previously been arrested and tried by thePalestinian Authority and served a five-year prison sentence for murdering a female cousin and burning her body. His uncle Jibril was a PFLP militant who had participated in a2002 attack against Itamar which left four civilians dead, including three children,[15] along with the settlement's security officer, and was killed in a 2003 clash with Israeli troops.[8]
Amjad Mahmad Awad was affiliated with the PFLP. He had been employed in Israel as a laborer, and was a student atAl-Quds Open University. The families of the two suspects initially denied the two committed themassacre. Hakim's mother falsely claimed her son had been at home the night of the murders and never left the house, saying that "five months ago Hakim underwent a surgery in his stomach and I'm sure he was tortured and forced into confessing". She later, however, acknowledged his involvement.[16] Amjad's family claimed he had been in the village at the time of the Itamar murders. One relative said Hakim and Amjad did not know each other, as "one went to university, the other is in high school". He also claimed that if they had been guilty, they would have been captured within days, as "the whole world knows about Israel's advanced investigation abilities and its use of sophisticated means".[17] Amjad and Hakim Awad had decided to carry out an attack on Itamar days before. Three days before the killings, they approached a PFLP member with a request for weapons, but were rebuffed. At midday on Friday, 11 March, they decided that they would enter Itamar later that night, and carry out an attack armed with knives.[8]
Several media sources, among them theThe Guardian andThe Washington Post, first reported that theAl-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing ofFatah, the dominant political faction in theWest Bank, claimed responsibility for the attack,[18] whereasThe Jerusalem Post reported, that the "Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades of Imad Mughniyeh" had claimed responsibility, a group named after aHezbollah chief of military operations and liaison with theIranian Revolutionary Guards who was killed by a car bomb in Damascus in 2008. According toAl Hayat, officials of "Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades" denied association with the Imad Mughniyeh-group or the attack.[19]
Amjad and Hakim Awad were already in custody when they were identified as the killers, and their names released to the public on 17 April. They offered a detailed account of the attack, as well as a reenactment. Despite the ties of both suspects to the PFLP, Shin Bet investigators did not identify the attack as being carried out under the auspices of the PFLP, but rather as an individual act.[1] Israeli authorities said that they planned their attack well ahead of time, and showed no remorse for their actions.[20]
According to Israeli investigators, Amjad and Hakim Awad had attempted to acquire weapons from a Popular Front militant in Awarta. After he refused, they decided to carry out the attack using knives. Just after 9 pm on Friday night, the two left Awarta carrying several knives, an umbrella, and wire-cutting shears. The two tried to cut through Itamar's security fence, but eventually climbed over it. An initial probe showed that the fence around Itamar had functioned properly. At about the same time that they infiltrated, an alarm sounded in the settlement's security room, indicating the exact location where they entered. But neither Itamar's civilian security team nor the civilian security officer, who went to the site of the disturbance and found nothing out of order, informed soldiers patrolling the area of the fence, concluding that an animal had set off the alarm, although procedures prescribe that the IDF is to be informed of any alarm.[21]
After breaching the fence, Amjad and Hakim walked 400 meters into the settlement. The perpetrators first broke into a house of the Chai family who were on vacation, searching all the rooms.[22] They stole an M16assault rifle, ammunition, a helmet, and akevlar vest. They waited an hour and entered the Fogels' house at around 10:30 pm. According to the indictment, the two entered the children's room, told eleven-year-old Yoav, who had been awakened by their entry not to be afraid, then took him to a nearby room, slashed his throat, and stabbed him in the chest. Hakim Awad then strangled four-year-old Elad with Amjad Awad stabbing him twice in the chest. The two next entered the parents' room, and turned on the light, waking them up. The parents then struggled with the attackers. Ehud Fogel was repeatedly stabbed in the neck, and Ruth Fogel was stabbed in the neck and back and then shot when the suspects saw that she was not dead. The suspects then left the house.[23] According to their confessions, they feared that the shots had been heard. When they went outside, they saw a patrol vehicle, but realized that they had not been discovered when it did nothing. The two then argued over whether to withdraw or carry out attacks in other homes, with Hakim insisting that they return immediately to Awarta, and Amjad arguing that they should return to the home and steal another weapon. Amjad then re-entered the Fogel home. When 3-month-old Hadas began crying, Amjad stabbed her, fearing the cries would attract attention.[1][8] According to several accounts, the infant was decapitated or nearly decapitated.[24][25][26][27][28] The attackers did not notice two other children asleep in the house at the time. In their confessions they claimed they would not have hesitated to kill them, had they noticed them. The perpetrators also stole Ehud's M16 rifle. They left Itamar without being detected.[21][29]
The Awad cousins returned to Awarta on foot, and appealed to Hakim's uncle, PFLP militant Salah Awad, for assistance, and gave him a detailed description of the attack. Salah helped them conceal their stolen weapons and burn their bloodstained clothes, and later transferred the stolen weapons to Jad Avid, a contact inRamallah, for hiding.[8]
The bodies were discovered by Tamar Fogel, the 12-year-old daughter of the family who arrived home around midnight after a youth outing.[13] After finding that the door was locked, she asked her neighbor, Rabbi Ya'akov Cohen, for help. He noticed tracks and mud near the house, and brought a weapon with him. The two then woke the sleeping 6-year-old boy by calling through the window, and he opened the door, after which Cohen returned to his home. When the girl discovered the murders, she ran outside screaming, and the Rabbi ran back, firing several shots into the air to alert security personnel. Rabbi Cohen, who later entered the house with the girl, said that her two-year-old brother "was lying next to his bleeding parents, shaking them with his hands and trying to get them to wake up, while crying... The sight in the house was shocking."[18]Magen David Adom paramedics andZAKA (Disaster Victim Identification) volunteers were called to the scene, including ZAKA regional commander Gil Bismot. Paramedics followed a trail of toys and blood to the bedroom, where they discovered the first three bodies: the mother, father and infant. In the next room they found the body of the 11-year-old sibling. Finally they reached the last bedroom, where the 4-year-old boy was severely injured and dying. The toddler died of his wounds despite the efforts of medical personnel.[13]
In accordance with Jewish law, the bodies remained in the home throughoutJewish Sabbath, watched over by ZAKA volunteers. Immediately after the end of Sabbath, another team of ZAKA volunteers arrived fromImmanuel and the wider region were dispatched to Itamar. ZAKA volunteers collected all human remains and cleaned up the scene. Dr.Yehuda Hiss of theAbu Kabir Forensic Institute inTel Aviv traveled to Itamar to carry out an examination of the bodies. The procedure was supervised by the head of the ZAKA Rabbinical Council, Rabbi Ya'akov Roget.[30]
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The victims of the attack are Ehud "Udi" Fogel, age 36, the son ofGush Emunim activists fromNeve Tzuf,[31] Ruth Fogel, age 35, the daughter of aJerusalemrabbi,[32] and three of their six children, Yoav, age 11, Elad, age 4, and three-month-old Hadas.[33][34]
The Fogel family had recently settled in Itamar. They previously lived in theGush Katif settlement ofNetzarim in theGaza Strip. After Israelevacuated its Gaza settlements in 2005, they moved to the settlement ofAriel, and in 2009 to Itamar, where Udi Fogel worked as teacher at the post-high schoolyeshiva.[33] Three of the family's children, Tamar, Roi and Yishai, survived, physically unharmed. They were taken in by grandparents in the aftermath of the attack.[18] Twelve-year-old Tamar is quoted as having promised her relatives: "I will be strong and succeed in overcoming this. I understand the task that stands before me, and I will be a mother to my siblings."[33]
The funeral of the five victims on Sunday, 13 March atHar HaMenuchot Cemetery inGivat Shaul,Jerusalem, was attended by some 20,000 people and broadcast on Israeli television. Speakers included former Chief RabbiYisrael Meir Lau, quoted as saying: "We will not bend, we will not give up, we returned to the land of our fathers and it is our home, and the children shall return within their borders and nothing will prevent our faith in the righteousness of our path", Ashkenazi Chief RabbiYona Metzger, who, linking the murderers toAmalek, stated that "Itamar needs to become a major city in Israel as a response to this murder", andKnesset SpeakerReuven Rivlin, whose final remarks were: "Build more, live more, more footholds – that is our response to the murderers so that they know – they can't defeat us".[35]
Ruth Fogel's father was quoted as having said: "Our children are prepared to be sacrificed as an offering at the altar we have to continue to build to bring redemption. Udi and Ruthie wanted this redemption."[36]
Udi Fogel's brother Motti Fogel spoke out against the use that has been made of the murder of the family: "All the slogans aboutTorah and settlement, the Land of Israel and the people of Israel are attempts to forget the simple and pain-torn fact: you are dead. You are dead, and no slogan will bring you back. You are not a symbol or a national event. Your life was a purpose in and of itself, and it should be forbidden for your terrible death to turn your life into some sort of tool."[37]
Following the end of the 30-day mourning period, an emotional memorial service was held in Itamar, where the cornerstone for a newkollel to be named after Udi Fogel was laid. Hundreds of people attended, including Sephardi Chief RabbiMoshe Amar,Knesset membersTzipi Hotovely (Likud) andUri Ariel (National Union), and Yesha Council Chairman Danny Dayan. Many participants signed aMegillah scroll, which was recited by formerMilitary Rabbinate Chief and Yeshiva headAvichai Rontzki before being placed within the foundations of the new kollel.[38][39]
Following the attack, soldiers from theIsrael Defense Forces (IDF) andIsrael Police arrived in Itamar and conducted a search across the village of Itamar. TheIsraeli Air Force usedUAVs for aerial surveillance of the area. Israeli authorities declared the nearby West Bank city ofNablus a closed military zone. Israeli troops set up checkpoints on the roads leading to the city and prevented vehicles and pedestrians from leaving or entering, according to Palestinians.[40] Residential areas were placed under curfew, and Israeli troops conducted house-to-house searches.[41] The previously-dismantledHuwwara Checkpoint was re-established.[21]
An initial probe suggested two perpetrators entered Itamar shortly after 9 pm, jumping over the settlement's security fence, and remained in the settlement for three hours without being noticed.[29] Due to the characteristics of the killings, the IDF estimated that the attack was not carried out by an organized terrorist infrastructure but was the work of one or two people, presumably Palestinian.[42] Israeli authorities initially suspected that the killings may have been in revenge for the killing of two Palestinian teenagers fromAwarta, who were shot dead near Itamar in 2010.[13]
In Itamar, the Fogel family home was cordoned off by red tape and guarded by soldiers. A forensics team probed the home, collecting evidence left behind by the killers.[43]
An IDF tracker spotted indications that the perpetrators had scaled the fence, and found footprints and equipment abandoned by the killers leading out of Itamar. The tracker, accompanied by an IDF force, followed the tracks to the Palestinian village ofAwarta. IDF troops entered the town ofBurqa, northwest of Nablus, searching houses and questioning residents. They did not make any arrests.[40] IDF soldiers andIsrael Border Police gendarmes also entered the villages ofSanur andZababdeh, arresting several dozen Palestinians.[42]
Agag order was imposed on the investigation.[44]
Awarta was placed under curfew and declared a closed military zone. IDF troops andIsrael Border Police conducted mass arrests of residents throughout the following days. According to Palestinian sources, all men from Awarta were questioned. Residents reported constant door-to-door searches, with some homes being searched up to three times. According to witness reports, Israeli armored vehicles patrolled the village's streets, and troops were deployed on the hilltops around the village. The city ofNablus remained under closure, but four days after the murders, a food delivery was permitted into the city.[45]
On 29 March 2011, the IDF initiated a second wave of arrests in Awarta, detaining 60 Palestinians, including the Deputy Mayor of Awarta, and collecting DNA samples. About 20 were immediately released following DNA testing, and another 40 were interrogated.[46] A week later,AFP reported that the IDF arrested more than 100 women from the village, placing them in a camp where they were fingerprinted and DNA samples were taken, before most of them were released.[47]
On 11 April, daily IDF raids continued in the village, and troops continued to maintain roadblocks at the entrance. According to allegations by Israeli leftists and Awarta residents, soldiers humiliated residents and damaged property. Palestinian officials claimed that Israel had seized land around the village to expand nearby settlements. ThePalestinian Authority condemned the raids and called on the international community to pressure Israel into halting them.[48]
Shin Bet questioned numerous Awarta villagers who had been arrested, with some residents who had been arrested and released being again questioned by Shin Bet investigators. Meanwhile, the IDF also questioned residents in various parts of Awarta. The interrogations produced various leads, but slowly, the circle of potential suspects was narrowed. At this stage, the IDF's eliteDuvdevan Unit and theIsrael Police's special undercover unit began making secret arrests of suspects, and interrogations of the suspects produced additional intelligence information. Hakim Awad was arrested on 5 April, but only started to cooperate after more information pointed to him. Amjad Awad was arrested on 10 April. Forensic evidence gathered from the Fogel family home linked them to the killings.[49] The two were identified as the perpetrators, and kept in custody pending trial. On 17 April, it was officially cleared for publication that Amjad and Hakim Awad had been identified as the killers. Both suspects confessed to the killings and offered a detailed account. They expressed no remorse for their actions, and performed a reenactment of the attack before security officials.[8] Amjad Awad declared that he was proud of what he did and had no regrets, even if he were to be sentenced to death.[50]
Subsequently, Hakim's father, two uncles, and brother were arrested for hiding the murder weapons and suppressing additional evidence. Israeli security forces also arrested the PFLP militant who they had approached for weapons, and raided theRamallah home of Yazed Hassan Mohammed Awad, Salah Awad's contact who had hidden the two stolen assault rifles following the attack. Both of the assault rifles were found in his home. In addition, Yazed Awad was found to have briefed Amjad and Hakim on Shin Bet interrogation techniques. He was arrested, and in December 2012 was convicted by a military court.[8][51][52]
On 26 May 2011, the Judea and Samaria Sector Military Court extended the remand of the two cousins for eleven days. The Military Prosecution informed the court that it would file an official indictment at their next arraignment.[6] The Military Prosecution considered requesting thedeath penalty, due to the extreme nature of the attack.[53] Prosecutors ultimately did not request the death penalty.
On 5 June 2011, Amjad and Hakim Awad were indicted before the Judea and Samaria Sector Military Court on five counts of murder, stealing weapons, breaking and entering, and conspiracy to commit a crime. The suspects confessed to the murder and the military prosecution in the case presented forensic evidence linking them to the scene of the crime, including DNA samples and fingerprints.[23] According to a senior Shin Bet official involved in the investigation, despite the suspects' young age, Hakim and Amjad "described what they did with self-control and did not express regret over their actions at any stage of the investigation." Amjad told reporters in the court "I don't regret what I did and I would do it again. I'm proud of what I did and I'll accept any punishment I get, even death, because I did it all for Palestine."[54]
Hakim Awad was found guilty on five counts of murder in August 2011. He was also convicted for weapons-related and other security offenses.[55] In September 2011 he was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences and another five years in prison. Prior to the sentencing Hakim Awad declared he was not sorry and claimed he carried out the attack "because of the occupation."[56]
In October 2011, Amjad Awad pleaded guilty to five counts of murder. Before deciding whether to convict him, the judges examined the primary evidence.[57] The judges had considered sentencing him to death, but decided not to impose a harsher sentence than what the prosecution had requested.[58] On 16 January 2012, he was sentenced to five life terms and an additional seven years in prison.[59]
In response to the Itamar attack, on 13 March, theIsraeli cabinet approved the construction of 500 housing units inGush Etzion,Ma'ale Adumim,Ariel andModi'in Illit, areas of the West Bank that Israel intends to keep under any permanent accord with the Palestinians.[60] The decision was taken in a late-night cabinet meeting in which both Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu and Defense MinisterEhud Barak took part, after several alternatives, such as starting a new settlement or widening the settlement of Itamar, were rejected. The decision was criticized by the Palestinians and the United States.[61] A spokesperson from theU.S. State Department told theJewish Week that the "United States is deeply concerned by continuing Israeli actions with respect to settlements in the West Bank" and that "[c]ontinued Israeli settlements are illegitimate and run counter to efforts to resume direct negotiations."[62]
Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu, visiting relatives of the victims, told the mourners: "They shoot and we build."[60] Foreign MinisterAvigdor Lieberman voiced his opposition to imposing the death penalty on the perpetrators, saying that Israel "should not be guided by revenge."[63]
On 4 April 2011, a new bill was proposed by MKYoel Hasson (Kadima) to keep murderers of children from being included inprisoner exchanges and allowing them to be pardoned by thePresident at any future date.[64] In the aftermath of the attack, Israeli military and police forces were deployed nearNablus to prevent clashes.[65]
According to Palestinian sources and the BBC, Israeli settlers vandalized property near Nablus, Hebron,Bethlehem andRamallah in revenge for the Fogel murders.[66][67] They also reportedly handed out threatening leaflets in Beitillu, near Ramallah,[68] blocked a junction inGush Etzion and threw stones at Palestinians. Several were arrested by IDF and police forces deployed on the scene. Israeli activists blocked an intersection nearPsagot onHighway 60. According to the Palestinians, residents ofBat Ayin took part in a protest at which the Israeli police fired tear gas. Settlers near Nablus andKedumim area reportedly stoned and burned Palestinian vehicles, and blocked the Jit Junction.[69] RabbiYitzchak Ginsburgh,Rosh Yeshiva of the Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva inYitzhar, is said to have called for houses in a nearby village to be demolished.[69]
On 13 March, Israelis protested at the Horev,Tzabar,Megiddo, andAzrieli Junctions, carrying signs proclaiming "we are settlers too" and "peace isn't signed with blood." Drivers honked their car horns in solidarity. Activists protested nearJerusalem andBar-Ilan University students held at rally nearHighway 4, chanting "enough to violence and incitement – talk to humans not murderers".[70]
On 14 March, 200 residents of Itamar marched from Itamar to Awarta. Fourteen marchers entered the village and threw stones at homes. IDF soldiers and Border Police gendarmes dispersed the rioters. Some marched up a hill near Itamar to support the construction of a newIsraeli outpost there.[71]
On 17 March, two Palestinian workers employed inShilo were attacked by masked men armed with iron rods and pepper spray, as was an Israeli security guard who attempted to protect them.[72]
An opinion poll conducted by theHarry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace and thePalestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found, according to the groups, "In light of the attack in Itamar, 59% among Israelis oppose and 33% support the government policy to relax the security measures in the West Bank such as the removal of road blocks." The groups asked 601 adult Israelis interviewed by phone in Hebrew, Arabic, or Russian between 21 and 28 March 2011.[73]
On 16 March,Haaretz reported that residents of Itamar were building a new outpost, unofficially named "Aryeh."[74]
"Aryeh" is Hebrew forlion, as well as an approximate acronym for the names Udi, Ruth, Yoav, Elad and Hadas, the five victims of the attack. On 1 December, Aryeh was demolished by Israeli Civil Administration personnel backed by IDF troops and police officers. During the demolition operation, three permanent structures, two makeshift structures and a synagogue were razed. A control panel and the electricity system that powered a security camera purchased by the Shomron Regional Council were also destroyed, and a security official claimed that the electric system was illegal and was destroyed to protect Civil Administration personnel from being electrocuted. Settlers claimed that threeTorah scrolls were confiscated.[75]
In 2018, the three surviving children of the massacre and 19 additional family members filed a lawsuit against the terrorists convicted of the murders and the Palestinian Authority for abetting such attacks with the payment of stipends to convicted terrorists. The suit asked forNIS 400 million ($114 million) in damages.[76] In an affidavit presented by the defendants in April 2021, the defendants admitted to making monthly "Pay-for-Slay" payments since 2011 to the seven members of thePFLP cell convicted and incarcerated for their participation in the Fogel murders.[77]
Palestinian militants threw stones at buses returning from the funeral of the victims[78] but some Palestinian residents of Awarta, who had previously clashed with settlers from Itamar, denounced the killings.[13]
A paramedic interviewed in an Israeli newspaper stated that on the day of the attack, residents of Itamar saw fireworks and celebrations in nearby Palestinian communities.[79] In theGaza Strip, the killings sparked celebrations in the city ofRafah, where Palestinians handed out candy and sweets on the streets. A resident described the attack as "a natural response to the harm settlers inflict on the Palestinian residents in the West Bank".[80][81]
MEMRI, commenting on reactions to the murders in the Palestinian media, stated that while Sawsan Al-Barghouti, a columnist for a website affiliated with Hamas, called the Itamar murders a "heroic act", in the rest of the Palestinian media themurder of children ("even of settlers") was strongly condemned as unequivocally immoral and contrary to Palestinian values, and as doing nothing to help the Palestinian cause. One editorial, for example, stated: "Stabbing an infant to death is a crime against humanity. Whoever did this was insane, or charged with racist assumptions. This is not nationalist; there is no connection between the murder of the infant in the settlement of Itamar and the values of our people's struggle." Many questioned whether such a murderer could be Palestinian. The PLO condemned the murders and accused Israel of jumping to the conclusion that the perpetrator was Palestinian and of exploiting the tragedy for its own political gains.[82] A report inHaaretz reported that Palestinians in newspapers and on social networking sites condemned the attack while also criticizing settlers and the Israeli government's declaration of new settlement units in retaliation.[83]
An opinion poll conducted by theHarry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace and thePalestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found that 63% of Palestinians surveyed opposed the attack while 32% supported it. The groups interviewed 1,270 adults face-to-face in theWest Bank,East Jerusalem, andGaza Strip from 17 to 19 March 2011.[73]
In January 2012, Palestinian Authority television aired an interview with the mother and aunt of Hakim Awad, who praised him as "a hero" and "a legend". Hakim's mother Nawef, who had previously denied her son's involvement, now proudly admitted it. The broadcast was part of a weekly show focusing on Palestinian prisoners in Israel.[16]
On 1 February 2012, the Tomb ofEleazar was found spray-painted withArabic slogans praising the perpetrators. The vandalism was discovered by 500 Jewish worshippers and their IDF escorts during a pilgrimage to the site. Soldiers and worshippers then covered the tomb with white paint to mask the graffiti.[84]
A memorial service for the Fogel family was held at New York'sCongregation Kehilath Jeshurun a week after the attack. It was attended by 1,000 local residents, with 2,000 more viewing a live broadcast over the internet. The president of theNew York Board of Rabbis, Rabbi Yaakov Kermaier, said the victims "were treated as criminals for settling and building beautiful lives in the heartland of our ancestral holy land."[85] Pastor of theCanaan Baptist Church in Harlem, ReverendJacques DeGraff, told the gathered mourners, "I'm here today because it is not enough for the friends of Israel to issue a statement."[86] The service was jointly sponsored by theConference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the Consulate General of Israel in New York, theJewish Community Relations Council of New York, theUJA-Federation of New York, and Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun.[87]
Gary Rosenblatt, editor-in-chief ofThe Jewish Week, commented that reactions to the Itamar killings may have been more muted given that the victims were religious Israelis living in a small West Bank settlement. He claimed that had the victims been secular Jews living inside theGreen Line "outrage would have been far greater".[88]
A delegation of Italian Jews from Rome visited Itamar on 30 March and extended a donation of €25,000 to support the three surviving children of the Fogel family. The president of the Jewish community of Rome, Riccardo Pacifici, said, "We come with a message of solidarity and support."[89]
A team of Finnish performers wrote a song in memory of the Fogel family for the annualBenei Akiva Jewish Eurovision contest, held this year in Rome, Italy. The team was inspired by the fact that daughter Tamar Fogel's life was spared owing to her being out of the house at the time of the attack, attending a Benei Akiva event.[90]
Israel:
United Nations: Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon's office published a statement saying, "The Secretary-General condemns last night's shocking murder of an Israeli family of five, including three children, in a West Bank settlement. He calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice, and for all to act with restraint."[111]
Australia: The Australian government condemned the attack and extended its condolences to the surviving family members and friends. Foreign MinisterKevin Rudd called the attack "a despicable act of terrorism" and said, "There can be no justification for the brutal murder of three innocent children and their parents."[113]
Belgium: TheBelgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement broadly condemning "the outburst of violence in Israel and in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," referring to the attack in Itamar, a subsequent bomb attack in Jerusalem, violence in the Gaza Strip, and missile attacks against Israeli citizens from Gaza. The statement said that Foreign MinisterSteven Vanackere "very firmly condemns the use of any violence against civilians. It is intolerable to inflict terror by using random violence, endangering the lives of children, women and men."[114]
Canada: Canadian Foreign MinisterLawrence Cannon said in a statement, "The brutal killing of five Israelis, including children, cannot be justified." He called the atrocities "heinous acts of terror" and demanded the full cooperation of the Palestinian Authority in holding the murderers accountable.[115]
Cyprus: Cypriot PresidentDimitris Christofias condemned the attack, calling its perpetrators "inhuman", and expressed condolences to the family and to the people of Israel.[116]
France: Foreign MinisterAlain Juppé said that "France utterly condemns the assassination of five members of an Israeli family yesterday in the settlement of Itamar, on the West Bank. Among the victims of this barbarous act were three children, including a baby", and offered his condolences to the family of the victims and the Israeli authorities. Juppé further stated that France "condemns all acts of violence in the occupied territories and calls for maximum restraint in order to prevent deterioration in the situation. The quest for peace through negotiations must prevail." The French consul-general in Jerusalem, Frédérique Desagleau, attended the funeral of the five victims. French Ambassador to IsraelChristophe Bigot visited the parents of Ruth Fogel to present condolences.[112][117]
Germany: Foreign MinisterGuido Westerwelle condemned the "cruel and heinous" slayings, saying, "nothing can justify such attacks."[112]
Greece: Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Gregory Delavekouras stated that "we unequivocally condemn the murder of a five-member Israeli family – including three young children – and express our deep condolences and support to the relatives and friends. The murder of children in their sleep is an inconceivably ungodly, inhuman, and barbarous act", and called for the murderers to be brought to justice immediately. The statement also urged the peace process to continue and reiterated that the settlements were illegal, but stated that "any act of violence against civilians is condemnable, whatever its source".[118]
Ireland: IrishTánaiste and Minister of Foreign Affairs,Eamon Gilmore, condemned the murder of the Fogel family, calling it "an appalling act of violence" and "a senseless atrocity." Gilmore urged Israelis and Palestinians to resume direct peace talks and move toward "a just settlement, based on two States living side by side."[119]
Italy: Speaker of theChamber of Deputies,Gianfranco Fini, telephoned his Israeli counterpart, Reuven Rivlin, and denounced the attack as a "most terrible and tragic event." He offered condolences on behalf of the Italian people to the bereaved family and to the entire people of Israel.[120][121]
Japan: The Japanese Foreign Ministry stated that "Japan strongly condemns the murder which occurred 12 March in Itamar, northern West Bank. Japan expresses its heartfelt sympathy for the victims and sends condolences to the bereaved relatives. Such an act cannot be justified for any reason, and any attempt to justify violence is unacceptable."[122]
Netherlands: The Dutch Foreign Ministry expressed "outrage" at the killings, stating that "a crime like this can never be justified", called for all perpetrators to be brought to justice, and urged the Palestinian Authority to cooperate in arresting the suspects. It also stressed that it agreed with the Quartet in stressing the importance of achieving peace between Israel and its neighbors. Foreign MinisterUri Rosenthal offered condolences to the victims' family and Israel.[123]
Norway: Norwegian Foreign MinisterJonas Gahr Støre released a statement saying, "I condemn the brutal killing of a family of six Israelis in the West Bank. This is a criminal act, and those responsible must be brought to justice as soon as possible."[124]
Spain: The Foreign Ministry of Spain issued a statement condemning the attack "in the most energetic terms" and expressed hope that it would not lead to an escalation of violence in the region.[125]
Turkey: Turkish Foreign MinisterAhmet Davutoğlu published a message on the ministry's website calling the attack "unacceptable." He stressed that the "act of terror, against innocent children is a crime that violates the most basic of rights, the right to life."[126]
United Kingdom: Foreign SecretaryWilliam Hague said, "The friends and relatives of the family killed in Itamar have my deepest sympathies. This was an act of incomprehensible cruelty and brutality which I utterly condemn. We hope the perpetrator is swiftly brought to justice."[127]
United States:White House spokesmanJay Carney said, "There is no possible justification for the killing of parents and children in their home. We call on the Palestinian Authority to unequivocally condemn this terrorist attack and for the perpetrators of this heinous crime to be held accountable."[128] Secretary of StateHillary Clinton said, "I was shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the brutal murder of an Israeli family. The United States condemns this appalling attack in the strongest possible terms. To kill three innocent children and their parents while they sleep is an inhuman crime for which there can be no justification".[129]In February 2012, more than 1,000 members of theLikud party visited Itamar and planted 1,500 trees in memory of the Fogel family victims as part of annualTu Bishvat festivities throughout Israel.[130]
The search for the perpetrators of Friday night's Itamar massacre continued on Sunday as the army stepped up its presence in nearby Awarta, going door-to-door in search of suspects.
Hakim Awad, 18, of the northern West Bank town of Awarta, was convicted in a series of weapons-related and security offenses, as well as five cases of murder, after confessing to murdering five members of the Fogel family in the settlement of Itamar.
On Sunday some settlers set fire to Palestinian cars and attacked Palestinian homes in revenge.
A few hundred meters away, you could also see the Itamar residents' response to the murder. A new outpost, a 'neighborhood' as the residents call it, is going up southwest of the settlement, a few hundred meters away from the Arab village of Awarta. So far there is a tent and a chemical toilet. The unofficial name of the new neighborhood: 'Aryeh' an acronym of the first letters (in Hebrew) of the names of the victims: Udi, Ruth, Elad, Yoav and Hadas.
A delegation of Roman Jews, headed by community president Riccardo Pacifici, arrived at the settlement of Itamar on Wednesday to support the residents and the Fogel family.
Two delegations – Helsinki and Milan – received permission to write songs that stray from the common theme, and both are about Israeli heroes. The Milan team will sing a song in memory of Major Ro'i Klein, who was killed in the Second Lebanon War. The Helsinki team's song, about the Fogel family, was inspired by the knowledge that Tamar Fogel was saved from the terrible fate of her parents, brothers and sister because she was attending a Bnei Akiva activity when terrorists invaded her family's home.
Visiting Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias condemned the murder of the five members of the Fogel family 'by someone inhuman' and voiced his condolences to President Shimon Peres and the people of Israel on Monday.
Presidente della Camera dei deputati, Gianfranco Fini, ha avuto oggi un lungo e cordiale colloquio telefonico con Reuven Rivlin, Presidente della Knesset. E' quanto informa un comunicato. Fini ha voluto rappresentare al suo omologo israeliano la piu' ferma condanna per l'uccisione di cinque coloni israeliani, due genitori e tre dei loro figli, avvenuta nell'insediamento di Itamar, presso Nablus in Cisgiordania, ed esprimere personalmente la vicinanza al popolo di Israele.[permanent dead link]
