Arutz Sheva spoke about the implications of Rabbi Raziel Shevach's murder with the head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan. He calls for the immediate authorization of Havat Gilad as a registered community and for changing security policy against terrorists.
"On the personal, family, and community level, we are with the Shevach family and Havat Gilad, and we will see how we can help and support them," says Dagan. Referring to the wider implications of the murder, Dagan said, "At the national level, you have to understand that this is not a person who died of cancer or a complication of influenza. This is a man who returned home from shopping. I was at the place where the incident occurred and saw it. He was killed by savage murderers because he is a Jew.
"These savage murderers mean to drive us out of the country. This is the motivation of terror. Therefore, I say that the right answer of the Israeli government to these murderers is to announce today complete recognition of Havat Gilad as an authorized community and to announce a building boom of 600-700 housing units in order to provide a proper response. This is the way Zionism has always acted, and so the State of Israel has always done as an answer to despicable murderers."
"We appreciate the actions of the army and the Shin Bet, but when the murderer is captured, he will receive a huge salary from the PA and he will earn a bachelor's and a master's degree," Dagan added, referring to the military response to the attack. "This must end. We must pursue a determined war on terror, not only against those murderers, but also against those who trained them in the Palestinian Authority.
"I call upon the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister to convene two meetings today, one to recognize Havat Gilad as a registered community and to announce a building boom of 600-700 housing units where the murdered man lived with his family. The second issue is to end tacit acceptance of terrorism, to end the division between the terrorists and instigators and financiers in the PA, and to finally bring about a solution with the security components that are lacking - including in this area (of Havat Gilad) - cameras, lighting, cellular reception, and more as defined by the defense establishment."
As to recognizing Havat Gilad as a registered community, Dagan mentioned that there are zoning plans for land that Moshe Zar purchased and that has already been prepared, and has been waiting for political echelon approval for years.
As to proper treatment for terrorists, Dagan was asked whether his words meant returning to the assassination policy that would preempt terrorists from going to jail. "If they decide to change the approach from what it was a few years ago, I believe that terror will be exterminated as it was exterminated a few years ago," Dagan says, explaining that he does not go into operational and security details.