Yoav Sorek
Yoav SorekEliran Aharon

Yoav Sorek, father of Dvir, spoke this afternoon with journalists about his feelings about the many visitors the family received during the seven days of mourning.

"In what was supposed to be our seven-day mourning for our dear son, we suddenly realized that we were in a bit of a cast in a film of some national event. We didn't choose it, but it's stronger than we are," Sorek said.

"People from all over the world came here," he added, "we get a lot of strengthening, a lot of support. We're really surprised why this event has become so great and touched so many hearts. It could be that Dvir had some merit to do something, I don't know. As far as we're concerned, we're sitting shiva, we're not in a political campaign. I try not to let the election campaign in the background come in. We don't deal with that."

Sorek addressed the fact that his son's murderers were captured alive, explaining, "This disappointment is not ours, it is a national disappointment. I guess, guess that even the forces that captured them were hoping to catch them in a situation that would make them no longer alive. We also received messages through the official channels and also through informal channels that the security forces' action to apprehend the terrorists in this case was very, very determined and motivated. It's really another expression of the fact that the people are actually with us somewhere. Not that it will bring Dvir back, but somewhere it touched many hearts. The officers who were here, the General and others, we trust them to guard us, everyone who's alive.

"A lot of bereaved parents came here," Sorek noted, "I suddenly remember another attack and another attack. It reminds us of reality. Although all the time I think there's improvement, we still need to be somewhere we can go around safely."

Regarding the feeling on Dvir's birthday that falls this evening and tomorrow, Sorek said, "It's significant that it came out within the shiva. He was born and his Brit was in the synagogue from which the funeral went out, and in the courtyard where we're sitting shiva."

Sorek said that Dvir's belongings had not yet arrived, "There was no police here, but we are still really waiting for his belongings that were with him, his cellphone, the famous books that were with him, his clothes. The one who constantly communicates with us is the army. I heard that the terrorists' houses are being demolished soon."

Sorek was asked about the possibility of reconciliation with the Palestinians, "What is reconciliation? I don't think anyone talks about reconciliation with people who want to kill you. Whoever wants reconciliation reconciliates. That's what Dvir has been putting out all along. He was also involved in dialogue initiatives; one could say in his innocence and one could say in his innocence in a positive sense. In the end we're here to build and plant and hold and bring life, and that is our victory."

In response to a question about commemoration, Sorek said that two children were already named after Dvir, "We already received word of at least two children named after him, in Gush Etzion. I guess we'll be hearing about all kinds of initiatives. We aren't dealing with this at this stage and also as parents we don't want to get excessively occupied with it."

"הרצח של דביר נגע בכל כך הרבה לבבות"