JERUSALEM (JTA) — The group of right-wing extremists captured on a wedding video showing support for the suspected assailants in the deadly firebombing of a Palestinian family’s home “certainly does not represent religious Zionism,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
But at the beginning of Sunday’s weekly Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu also drew a distinction between Jewish and Palestinian terrorism.
“Arab terrorism attacks us relentlessly and we are fighting it without restrictions,” he said. “This terrorism is much greater in magnitude; there is no comparison.”
Netanyahu noted “the strong, clear and sharp statements” by political leaders and rabbis who disavowed the extremists’ denial of the state.
“The government here, and our public, and all bodies and all leaders come out against phenomena of Jewish terrorism. We condemn, they praise,” he said.
The previous evening, Israel’s defense minister said charges are expected soon against the Jewish extremists suspected of the July 31 firebombing of the home in the West Bank village of Duma that killed three members of the Dawabshe family — an 18-month-old boy and his parents.
Indictments could be issued as early as Tuesday, according to Israeli media reports.
Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon called for rabbis who incite the far-right extremists to carry out attacks to be investigated.
Also Saturday, Yair Lapid of the centrist Yesh Atid party singled out two leading right-wing rabbis for incitement, including Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Dov Lior.
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