The Mayor of Tayibe, Yahya Haj Yahya, condemned the shooting attack carried out on Sunday morning which claimed the life of Master Sergeant (Res.) Haim Kalomiti and wounded five others.
The terrorist who carried out the shooting spree, Omar Yassin - a Tayibe resident and Israeli citizen in his 20s - was neutralized following a pursuit by security forces.
In an interview with Radio Nas, Haj Yahya stated that he condemns the attack on behalf of the Tayibe municipality and its residents: "Our love for life, our commitment to coexistence, and our desire to live together in good neighborly relations mean that, ultimately, we stand united against such acts."
According to the mayor, the mere fact that the terrorist was a resident of Tayibe holds no special significance: "The fact that the perpetrator is from Tayibe is not what matters; he could have been from any other city. In other words, whether he is from Tayibe or not does not change much."
The mayor also criticized remarks made in the wake of the attack regarding Arab citizens of Israel: "These statements always originate from deeply racist elements. I do not believe that all Jewish people in this country say such things."
Tayibe’s Deputy Mayor, Abed Jaber, also issued a statement condemning the attack. "This act does not represent Tayibe or its residents," he said.
He added: "Terrorism in all its forms is unacceptable at any time, in any place, and against anyone," and concluded that "the residents of Tayibe stand by their neighbors and reject any attempt to undermine stability and coexistence in the region."