Yechezkel Mualem, 49, father of four and a Kiryat Arba Municipality councilman, was buried in Jerusalem late this morning. He was murdered last night by Arabs at the eastern entrance to Kiryat Arba, at the Lapid Junction, while he and other municipality members were in the midst of checking whether the IDF had restored the terrorism-impeding barriers along the highway. Terrorists opened fire on the group from adjacent PA-controlled territory in Hevron. IDF soldiers accompanying the group returned the fire, and the evacuation of the wounded took place while the Arabs continued shooting at them. A second victim of that attack, shot in both legs, remains hospitalized in moderate condition.
The Hevron Jewish Community reports:
Hezi Mualem was the construction manager for the Kiryat Arba Development Company. He lived in Kiryat Arba with his family for over 20 years. A well-known figure in the city, Hezi is remembered as a \"chazan\" (the conductor of prayer services), a \"Ba\'al Hesed\" (a man of great mercy) and a \"Ba\'al Tzedakah\" (a man of charity), who never said no to anyone needing help. A registered ambulance driver, Hezi Mualem was a tank commander and was injured during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. During his eulogy, Kiryat Arba-Hevron Chief Rabbi Dov Lior called Hezi, \"a soldier who died in the service of his country, on the front, for his people and for his community.\" He added, \"Hezi was a \'public sacrifice,\' pure and unblemished.\"
In retaliation for the murder, IDF forces briefly entered Area A (under full PA control) and destroyed a Force 17 post. Arab sources reported that five other PA military posts were also destroyed. At least two wounded Arabs are listed in serious condition, and three PA security agents were also hurt. IDF tanks also fired at the Abu Sneineh hills and others sources of gunfire that had been directed at Hevron\'s Jewish community.
Hevron spokeswoman Orit Strook was not impressed with the IDF response: \"The government is still not letting the army do what it knows how to do. The Force-17 post that they \'destroyed\' was nothing more than a little booth. For this they fired shells all night? We expect the army to be in the places from where the terrorists fire and prevent the shooting from happening.\"
On the other side of Kiryat Arba, adjacent to Hevron, Beitar Illit resident David Cohen was shot in the head yesterday morning, and his condition continues to be listed as very grave. Kiryat Arba Mayor Tzvi Katzover told Arutz-7 yesterday, \"We have long asked the army to put up barriers and checkpoints along this road, but the army said it had a different approach. The terrorists saw that they could attack and then return freely home, so they did. The IDF made a mistake, and we ask that it now correct this error.\"
The Hevron Jewish Community strenuously protested the \"hypocritical\" extension of custody of a 19-year-old girl charged with assaulting an Arab yesterday; Strook said that earlier this week, two Arabs were released after they beat up Jews. \"This double standard is not pursuit of justice, but rather the pursuit of Jews,\" she said. An Israeli policeman was lightly injured during clashes in Hevron today.
Just north of Hevron, soldiers were attacked by terrorist gunfire during the night near the Arab village of Halhoul, while south of Hevron, homes in Beit Haggai were attacked; soldiers there returned fire. In Hevron itself, heavy gunfire was reported last night between IDF soldiers and Palestinian forces in the vicinity of the Jewish areas; the terrorists resumed firing this morning towards Israeli homes, and were greeted by Israeli return fire. There were no casualties on the Jewish side. This afternoon, Arabs fired towards the northern Shomron community of Ganim.
Civilians and soldiers are working together in Yesha. Civilian civil patrols on the roads of Judea and Samaria have become more widespread over the past few days. Armed residents patrol and man strategic hilltops, in complete coordination with the IDF. An army officer briefs the participants before each mission. Jews of Efrat, between Jerusalem and Hevron, blocked the main highway to Arab traffic this afternoon.
The Hevron Jewish Community
Hezi Mualem was the construction manager for the Kiryat Arba Development Company. He lived in Kiryat Arba with his family for over 20 years. A well-known figure in the city, Hezi is remembered as a \"chazan\" (the conductor of prayer services), a \"Ba\'al Hesed\" (a man of great mercy) and a \"Ba\'al Tzedakah\" (a man of charity), who never said no to anyone needing help. A registered ambulance driver, Hezi Mualem was a tank commander and was injured during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. During his eulogy, Kiryat Arba-Hevron Chief Rabbi Dov Lior called Hezi, \"a soldier who died in the service of his country, on the front, for his people and for his community.\" He added, \"Hezi was a \'public sacrifice,\' pure and unblemished.\"
In retaliation for the murder, IDF forces briefly entered Area A (under full PA control) and destroyed a Force 17 post. Arab sources reported that five other PA military posts were also destroyed. At least two wounded Arabs are listed in serious condition, and three PA security agents were also hurt. IDF tanks also fired at the Abu Sneineh hills and others sources of gunfire that had been directed at Hevron\'s Jewish community.
Hevron spokeswoman Orit Strook was not impressed with the IDF response: \"The government is still not letting the army do what it knows how to do. The Force-17 post that they \'destroyed\' was nothing more than a little booth. For this they fired shells all night? We expect the army to be in the places from where the terrorists fire and prevent the shooting from happening.\"
On the other side of Kiryat Arba, adjacent to Hevron, Beitar Illit resident David Cohen was shot in the head yesterday morning, and his condition continues to be listed as very grave. Kiryat Arba Mayor Tzvi Katzover told Arutz-7 yesterday, \"We have long asked the army to put up barriers and checkpoints along this road, but the army said it had a different approach. The terrorists saw that they could attack and then return freely home, so they did. The IDF made a mistake, and we ask that it now correct this error.\"
The Hevron Jewish Community strenuously protested the \"hypocritical\" extension of custody of a 19-year-old girl charged with assaulting an Arab yesterday; Strook said that earlier this week, two Arabs were released after they beat up Jews. \"This double standard is not pursuit of justice, but rather the pursuit of Jews,\" she said. An Israeli policeman was lightly injured during clashes in Hevron today.
Just north of Hevron, soldiers were attacked by terrorist gunfire during the night near the Arab village of Halhoul, while south of Hevron, homes in Beit Haggai were attacked; soldiers there returned fire. In Hevron itself, heavy gunfire was reported last night between IDF soldiers and Palestinian forces in the vicinity of the Jewish areas; the terrorists resumed firing this morning towards Israeli homes, and were greeted by Israeli return fire. There were no casualties on the Jewish side. This afternoon, Arabs fired towards the northern Shomron community of Ganim.
Civilians and soldiers are working together in Yesha. Civilian civil patrols on the roads of Judea and Samaria have become more widespread over the past few days. Armed residents patrol and man strategic hilltops, in complete coordination with the IDF. An army officer briefs the participants before each mission. Jews of Efrat, between Jerusalem and Hevron, blocked the main highway to Arab traffic this afternoon.