Victims of Halamish terror attack named
Three family members who were stabbed to death in gruesome attack: Yosef Salomon, his daughter Chaya and son Elad; Yosef’s wife Tova in serious condition
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
HALAMISH, West Bank — The three victims of the Friday night terror attack in Halamish were named on Saturday as Yosef Salomon, 70, his daughter Chaya Salomon, 46, and son Elad Salomon, 36.
The names were released once other family members had been notified following the end of Shabbat.
The three were killed on Friday night when a 19-year-old Palestinian, Omar al-Abed, from a nearby village, burst into their home at the Halamish settlement armed with a large knife and began stabbing the family members. There were apparently 10 people in the house, enjoying their Shabbat eve meal, when he entered. The gathering was a festive one, marking the birth of a new grandson.
Yosef Salomon’s wife, Tova, 68, was seriously wounded and taken to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem where she underwent surgery on Saturday morning. When she came out, she was given the news that her husband and two of their children were dead.
The couple are survived by three other children.
As Abed continued to stab the victims, Elad’s wife managed to rush several small children to a nearby room and lock the door. She called the police and called for help.
Elad Salomon was a father of five who lived in the city of Elad.
Speaking with The Times of Israel, Halamish spokeswoman Miri Ovadia said Yosef Salomon had played an integral role in the settlement. “He had a grandfather-like stature here,” she said. “He was in charge of leading Sunday morning prayers and frequently volunteered in the community’s security force.”
Ovadia, whose parents live across the street from the Salomons, added that she grew up with Chaya, Elad and their three siblings and that their families are very close. “They are relatively quiet and private, but also respected by all here.”
Chaya, who had been living with her parents in Halamish, worked as a teacher in Lod, while Elad worked as a computer technician.
In a video statement to the press, Ovadia said there was “no connection” between spiraling tensions on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount and the attack in her community:
“Last night a celebration of life was turned into a bloodbath when a terrorist took the lives of Yosef Salomon, 70, and his children Haya, 46, and Elad, 36 three innocent people sitting at their dining table,” a statement from the residents of Hamalish said.
“This is not the first time that our community has been struck by terror. Our resolve remains strong and we will continue to build a better life for our children, here in our ancestral homeland,” it said.
“We have always reached out to our neighbors in peace but the incitement and murder continues. We call upon the government of Israel to return security to our community and all of Israel immediately.”
The funeral for Yosef, Chaya and Elad Salmon will take place on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. at the cemetery in Modiin.
