Ben Gvir urges Knesset to ratchet up punishments for relatives of attackers

Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

Mounted police officers are seen at the scene of a stabbing and shooting attack in Beersheba, Israel, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP/Tsafrir Abayov)
Mounted police officers are seen at the scene of a stabbing and shooting attack in Beersheba, Israel, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP/Tsafrir Abayov)

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir calls on the state to demolish the homes of Israeli citizens who carry out terror attacks, after one person is killed and 10 wounded in a shooting at Beersheba’s central bus station.

Authorities have identified the attacker as Ahmad al-Uqbi, a Bedouin from a nearby hamlet who held Israeli citizenship. He was killed by responding forces during the attack.

“We are at war. There are many Bedouin loyal to the state but there are some who are not,” Ben Gvir declares from the scene of the attack, where Border Police officer Shira Suslik was killed.

“Those who are disloyal should be dealt with firmly,” including by demolishing their homes, he says.

“I call on the prime minister to today pass the law we proposed to deport the families of terrorists,” Ben Gvir adds, arguing that relatives of terrorists carrying out attacks is a recurrent phenomenon.

According to unconfirmed Hebrew media reports, al-Uqbi was related to Muhanad Alukabi, who carried out a shooting attack at the same Beersheba bus station in October 2015.

The far-right politician also says that he shares in the family’s grief and that “these policewomen are the heroes of Israel.”

“I think the big lesson from October 7 is that there must be no more being humane, no forgiveness,” Ben Gvir states.

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