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WORLD NEWSTuesday 20 October 2015
Fatal beating of Eritrean prompts soul-searching in Israel
JOSEF FEDERMAN society, and those that car- were slain in clashes with An Israeli border policeman stands on a hill overlooking Jeru-
Associated Press ried out this lynching need Israeli forces. salem’s Old City. The death of an Eritrean migrant who was shot
JERUSALEM (AP) — The to be found and brought to Amid the seemingly ran- and beaten by a mob that mistakenly believed he was a Pales-
death of an Eritrean mi- justice,” said Yaakov Ami- dom attacks, Israelis have tinian attacker set off a round of soul-searching Monday amid
grant who was shot and dror, Netanyahu’s former stocked up on mace and the jittery atmosphere sweeping Israel in a wave of unrest.
beaten by a mob that mis- national security adviser. pepper spray, and some
takenly believed he was a “Even if it was the terrorist public officials are openly (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
Palestinian attacker set off himself, by the way, after carrying personal weapons
a round of soul-searching he was shot, after he was and encouraging the pub-
Monday amid the jittery at- neutralized and lying on lic to do the same. Security
mosphere sweeping Israel the floor, you need to be has been increased, and
in a wave of unrest. an animal to torment him,” especially in Jerusalem.
Prime Minister Benjamin he told Israel Radio. The violence has led to fear
Netanyahu condemned Nine Israelis have been and sometimes outright
the vigilantism. Some critics killed in the past month in panic. Following an attack
accused Israel’s leaders of the attacks, mostly stab- at Jerusalem’s bus station
fostering the charged cli- bings, on city streets. At last week, a swarm of se-
mate, while others called least 41 Palestinians have curity forces and armed
for the swift prosecution of been killed — including 20 civilians ran along a central
the crazed mob. identified by Israeli authori- road in search of a second
“It is a disgrace to Israeli ties as attackers; the rest assailant following a false
alarm. Elsewhere, an Israeli couldn’t move. I couldn’t
man stabbed a fellow Jew sleep at night from seeing
after mistaking his dark- him, his blood,” Meir Saka,
skinned victim for an Arab. a passer-by who tried to
Palestinians in Jerusalem protect the Eritrean, tear-
say they are afraid of be- fully told Channel 10 TV.
ing shot if perceived to be An Israeli identified only by
a threat. But Sunday night’s the first name Dudu told
mob scene at the bus sta- Israeli Army Radio that he
tion in the southern city of regretted participating in
Beersheba took things to the attack. “If I would have
a new level. The violence known he wasn’t a terrorist,
began when an Arab with believe me, I would have
a knife and gun killed a protected him like I protect
soldier, stole his weapon myself,” he said. “I didn’t
and opened fire, wounding sleep well at night. I feel
nine people before being disgusted.” Meeting law-
killed by police. makers from his Likud Party,
In the mayhem, Habtom Netanyahu condemned
Zerhom, an Eritrean migrant the vigilante violence and
in his late 20s, ran into the sent his condolences to
station to seek cover, po- Zerhom’s family. “We are
lice said. A security guard, a law-abiding country,”
mistaking Zerhom for an at- he said. “No one should
tacker, shot him. take the law into their own
As the young man lay on hands.” Police said they
the floor, a mob cursed were reviewing the secu-
him, kicked him and hit him rity video to identify the
with objects. Security cam- mob. As of late Monday,
era video showed Zerhom no arrests had been an-
in a pool of blood as he nounced. Critics said the
was rammed with a bench shooting was the result of
and kicked in the head by the charged atmosphere.
passers-by, while an Israeli Jerusalem Mayor Nir Bar-
officer and a few bystand- kat, for instance, has open-
ers tried to protect him. Zer- ly called on all licensed gun
hom later died at a hospital. owners, like himself, to carry
“It doesn’t matter if it was a their weapons to help back
terrorist or not. It was a man up overstretched security
lying on the ground that forces.q
