The Jewish community in Hevron responded on Friday to the media uproar after an IDF soldier was filmed by an Arab activist of the radical leftist NGO B'Tselem shooting a wounded terrorist in the city the day before.
Politicians including Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu rushed to condemn the soldier, followed shortly afterwards by the UN, but the Hevron Jews defended him for shooting dead the terrorist who minutes earlier together with an accomplice stabbed and wounded a soldier.
"The Hevron Jewish community sends a blessing and encouragement to the IDF soldiers who defend citizens of Israel from the cruel terror assaults every single day," read the statement.
"The incident yesterday is still being checked, and one cannot judge without a check of the incident down to its details," added the residents, in a subtle swipe at the politicians and military brass who rushed to condemn the soldier.
In a call for justice, they added, "the version of the soldier who was concerned about the detonation of an explosive must be checked, and we must remember that this terrorist came in order to kill, to murder, and to put an end to the (Purim) holiday."
As noted in the statement, the soldier has argued that he shot the terrorist because he saw him moving and thought he was about to detonate a bomb belt. A witness at the scene confirmed that there were concerns the terrorist was hiding a bomb belt under his coat, which he wore despite it being a warm day.
On Friday a second video emerged taken at the scene of the terror attack, showing several people on site express concern that the terrorist “looks like he has an explosive pack," and warning others to keep clear of him until a bomb sapper arrives.