Israelis at site of terror attack were immersing in spring ahead of Yom Kippur, says settler leader

Israel Ganz, the head of the Benjamin Regional Council, says the Israelis at the natural spring targeted in a terror attack this morning were there to immerse in the waters ahead of the Yom Kippur fast this evening, a traditional practice before the Day of Atonement.

“This is a very difficult incident, but we are strong and we will get through it. God willing, this [upcoming] Sukkot will be full of tourists. No one is going to run away from here,” says Ganz, who also serves as the head of the Yesha Council settlement umbrella organization.

According to the Samaria Regional Council, the person severely wounded in the attack near Neve Tzuf was a resident of one of the settlements in its jurisdiction.

Yossi Dagan, the head of the Samaria Regional Council, calls on the security services to “increase the force of activities within [Palestinian] villages, go house to house collect illegal weapons, and dismantle the terror infrastructure.”

Adds Dagan: “The State of Israel must go from defense to offense and restore deterrence and security for residents. The settlements will never be broken.”