A sign directs to the city of Beit Shemesh
A sign directs to the city of Beit ShemeshPhoto: Nati Shohat/Flash90

The Beit Shemesh Municipality expressed its full support for the IDF soldier who shot a wounded terrorist after an attack in Hevron last week.

The municipality’s website published an invitation for citizens to congregate Monday evening at the "Big" junction to protest and demand the release of "Israel’s national hero.”

On Sunday the soldier's mother sent a letter to Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, calling for her son’s release. "I am the mother of the child who for his entire adult life devoted himself to the state - a patriot, a lover of the land who dreamed of serving the state, but found himself betrayed by the establishment

“I am the mother of the 19-year-old child who stands alone against the political and military echelon and cannot overcome it,” she added.

Moreover, an analysis of the public discourse online was published by Channel 2 on Sunday.

57% said there was no need to arrest the soldier and open a criminal investigation, compared to only 32% said there was a need.

When asked if the soldier’s actions were justified, 42% of respondents answered that he responded appropriately, 24% said that he reacted according to natural behavior under such pressure, 19% felt that he deviated from orders and 5% said that he committed murder.

Furthermore, respondents were asked whether public condemnation by the chief of staff, defense minister and prime minister against the soldier was justified: 68% responded no, compared to only 21% who thought so.

However, former MK Dov Lipman, a resident of Beit Shemesh, has denounced the municipality's stance: "I condemn the Beit Shemesh municipality for publishing the name of the soldier from the Hevron story and for entering into the political storm by taking sides in a complex issue which is under investigation by the IDF.

"The job of the city is to collect our garbage on time and find a way to lower our municipal taxes and not to get involved with this story. I call on the city leadership to cancel its planned demonstration and to take back it's taking any sides in this issues."