Def. minister calls fleeing terrorist a 'dog on the run, on borrowed time'

Published: JANUARY 19, 2018 19:36

Updated: JANUARY 19, 2018 19:39

Avigdor Liberman (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST) — Avigdor Liberman

(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

Israel Beytenu chairman MK Robert Ilatov called for the death penalty for the murderers of Rabbi Raziel Shevach.

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman and Israel Beteynu chairman Robert Ilatov on Friday had strong words for the terrorists alleged to have murdered Rabbi Raziel Shevach on January 9th.

Although Israeli forces shot dead one terrorist in a shootout in the West Bank city of Jenin earlier this week, a remaining terrorist is still on the run.

Liberman, speaking after a visit to Haifa's Rambam hospital to see the two soldiers wounded in the shootout, had a particular message for this fugitive. "That terrorist who managed to escape... we will soon get him and settle our accounts with him. He needs to know that he is currently a dog on the run, he lives on borrowed time and we will catch him."

When asked about the IDF's progress towards his capture, Liberman said, "We know everything, who the terrorists are, who their collaborators are, who else was involved in the attack, and we will reach everyone. No one will go free. We will reach them all, and they will pay the full price."

MK Robert Ilatov, chairman of Liberman's party, Israeli Beytenu, also spoke out on Friday in favor of that 'price' being the death penalty.

"The flight of the cowardly terrorist who murdered Rabbi Raziel again refutes the argument of those who oppose the death penalty for terrorists, by claiming that terrorists [want] to die," Ilatov said. "In most cases, [terrorists] come to escape, or to enter a five-star hotel called Israeli prison. The only way to change that equation is through the death penalty for terrorists."

"I am sure that the security establishment will quickly capture the cowardly murderer," he continued. "I only hope that, this time, the justice system will know how to bring the just verdict and sentence them to death."

The operation to capture the remaining terrorist is ongoing, with hundreds of soldiers deployed to search for him after Palestinians announced that no body was found inside the building destroyed by the IDF in Jenin. Israeli security forces are also searching for additional suspects and the weapons they used during the attack on Shevach.

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Shevach, 32, a resident of the Havat Gilad outpost in central Samaria, near Nablus, was shot 22 times last week, close to his home in a drive-by attack on Route 60. He was married with six children.

Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report.