Families of terror victims confronted an attorney for terrorists outside the Supreme Court plenum where justices discussed the merits of the state's demands to proceed with the demolition of several terrorists' homes.
In the confrontation, which was captured on video, an attorney for the terrorists intoned the importance of respecting the human rights of families, and the evils of “collective punishment” - but for terror victims, the arguments fell a bit short.
Supreme Court Judge Uzi Fogelman on Thursday issued temporary orders to prevent the demolition orders issued against the homes of seven Arab terrorists' families, after the families petitioned the IDF demolition orders.
The state appealed the decision Thursday, telling the court that demolitions were an important tool to prevent future terror. The Almagor Terror Victims Association obtained permission for the representatives of the victims' families to be present at the discussion where both the head of the organization, Meir Indor, and parents would be allowed to speak.
The state was opposed by an Israeli attorney, who told reporters outside the courtroom that “in order to ensure our democracy, we need to preserve human rights” - but she was quickly overwhelmed by comments and criticism from families who had lost loved ones in attacks.
Among them was Eliezer Rosenfeld, father of Malachi Rosenfeld who was murdered last June outside the town of Shvut Rachel as he was returning home with three friends from a basketball game.
The elder Rosenfeld is a well-known clarinetist, and Malachi, a graduate of the Machon Lev technological yeshiva in Jerusalem, was studying at the Hebrew University, where he was a month away from completing his bachelor's degree in philosophy, economics and business management.
“I do not sleep at night,” said Rosenfeld. “It is truly appalling to hear about the rights of the families of murderers. Apparently they have rights, but we do not. Nothing apparently happened to us – obviously I am being cynical. It's not just the parents, but the relatives, friends, and schoolmates who suffer from the loss."
“In the case of my son, this was not a spur of the moment murder by a 'lone wolf,” said Rosenfeld. “Eight people were involved – four carrying out the murder, and four others helping to plan it. There is a whole chain of events, this was clearly premeditated.”
When asked if house demolitions could prevent future attacks, Rosenfeld said he didn't know – but that wasn't the issue.
“First and foremost there has to be a punishment. They don't regret what they have done, and their leaders praise them for what they did. This is the same ideology of Islamic State, Hitler, Haman, and all the others who sought to destroy the Jews."
"I myself was told by workers who worked in my house that they would kill all the Jews, if they had the power to.”
The worst part, he said, was the support the terrorists received from Jews who were “living in a dream of equal rights for all. They just don't understand the reality here.”