Peres: ‘I am ashamed on behalf of my nation’

President Shimon Peres phones Hussein Abu Khdeir this afternoon to offer his condolences, and emphasizes that “there will be no compassion for the murderers.”

“I know what you and your family is going through. I am full of shame and share in your grief. He was murdered by criminals. I am ashamed on behalf of my nation and grieve with you. The only thing left for all of us to do is to ensure that no more children are murdered, and no more tears are shed are by mothers,” he said, according to a statement.

“Justice will be done and we will not compromise on that. We all reject murderers and like you I want justice, true justice. There is nothing that saddens us more than the tears of a mother and the grief of a father. Sadly there is no comfort for a grieving mother but there will be no compassion for the murderers. The murderers must be punished and the murder uprooted from its source. We must replace the mourner’s tent with a tabernacle of peace.”

Abu Khdeir thanks Peres for the call, expresses his hope for peace, and says he “seeks true justice in the court.”