Naftali Bennett
Naftali BennettFlash 90

The appropriate response to Wednesday's terror attack in Jerusalem, Economics Minister Naftali Bennett said Thursday, was to build more homes for Jews in Jerusalem. Speaking to Army Radio, Bennett said that the attack was a sign of the government's failure to adequately protect Jerusalem – and it was time to fix that.

“This attack is just one in a long chain of terror incidents, like rock throwing attacks and firebomb attacks, that Jerusalem residents have been subject to,” he said. “There have been over 200 such attacks in the past month, and there has been little response.”

"Israelis believe that by just surviving, they are wearing down our enemies, and this is why they [our enemies] respond with terror – but it is just the opposite," said Bennett. “They are ever-hopeful that they will wear us down, and the more terror, they believe, the more likely we will be to give up. What we have to do is to show that we are staying here, and the best way to do that is to build.”

The first step to ending terrorism in Jerusalem is enhancing Israel's sovereignty in the city, Bennett said. “First we have to build, that will ensure our sovereignty. By building where we want to and when we want to we will show that we are staying here. Only then will our enemies calm down.”

Israel, he added, could not rely on Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas. “He is a bitter enemy who incites to murder babies. He did not condemn Wednesday's attack, and I am sure that the terrorist's family will receive all sorts of benefits from the PA.”