Esther Kleinman, 23, who was murdered by Palestinian terrorists this morning, was buried in her home community of N\'vei Tzuf in southern Shomron this afternoon. She was a special-education kindergarten teacher in Ofrah, to where she was headed this morning on a bulletproof bus when the murderers opened fire between N\'vei Tzuf and Ateret. Soldiers gave chase after the terrorist cell, leading to the light wounding of one soldier and the killing of a PA policeman.
Rafi Ben-Bassat, a long-time resident of N\'vei Tzuf - \"I\'ve been here 25 years, since the day it started\" - was asked about Esther Kleinman, N\'vei Tzuf\'s third Oslo War victim. \"What can one say about a young girl who her whole world in front of her?,\" he said. \"She did her national service in Ofrah with little children, and the murderers simply cut off her future in one second…\"
Ben-Bassat had sharp words against the army:
\"The road here is simply forsaken. For a month, I have been warning everyone I meet - the local town council, the army, security personnel - that since the army\'s retreat from Haramiya Junction [following the massacre of ten soldiers and civilians there on March 3], there is absolutely no security here. After the massacre, the army took down the checkpoint, and from Ofrah [north to Haramiya, then west] to N\'vei Tzuf [and then west] until Rantis, there is barely any army presence - because of orders from the government… or because it doesn\'t want to. The results were very predictable: the terrorists scout us out, see what we do, and take action... My complaints receive ridiculous answers such as lack of manpower. I can tell you that there are reserve soldiers right here in N\'vei Tzuf who are willing to do the work. Let the army call us in, and we\'ll protect the roads!\"
Rafi Ben-Bassat, a long-time resident of N\'vei Tzuf - \"I\'ve been here 25 years, since the day it started\" - was asked about Esther Kleinman, N\'vei Tzuf\'s third Oslo War victim. \"What can one say about a young girl who her whole world in front of her?,\" he said. \"She did her national service in Ofrah with little children, and the murderers simply cut off her future in one second…\"
Ben-Bassat had sharp words against the army:
\"The road here is simply forsaken. For a month, I have been warning everyone I meet - the local town council, the army, security personnel - that since the army\'s retreat from Haramiya Junction [following the massacre of ten soldiers and civilians there on March 3], there is absolutely no security here. After the massacre, the army took down the checkpoint, and from Ofrah [north to Haramiya, then west] to N\'vei Tzuf [and then west] until Rantis, there is barely any army presence - because of orders from the government… or because it doesn\'t want to. The results were very predictable: the terrorists scout us out, see what we do, and take action... My complaints receive ridiculous answers such as lack of manpower. I can tell you that there are reserve soldiers right here in N\'vei Tzuf who are willing to do the work. Let the army call us in, and we\'ll protect the roads!\"