The Brutal Death of a Father

Two 18-year-old palestinians have brutually murdered a 42 year-old father of three – while he meditated in prayer.

The defense establishment on Monday night arrested two Palestinians suspected of murdering Erez Levanon, a resident of the Bat Ayin settlement in Gush Etzion.

The arrest, which took place in the village of Beit Omar near the scene of the murder, was cleared for publication Monday afternoon.

Intelligence information attained by the defense establishment indicated that the murder was carried out by two terrorists who were hiding in a building in the village of Beit Omar, not far from where the stabbing took place.

The two suspects were identified as Khader Abu Daya and Moussa Khalil.

Following up on the lead, security forces raided the building and found the suspects. They were arrested and transferred to Shin Bet custody for interrogation.

According to defense establishment estimates, no official Palestinian organization was behind the attack, which was initiated by the two suspects.

In their interrogation, the two confessed to carrying out the murder, which they said was planned earlier, including patrols of the area. On the day of the attack, the two left their village in possession of knives, and after spotting Levanon they ambushed him and stabbed him to death for nationalistic motives.

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Erez was found brutally stabbed to death just several hundred yards from the Bat Ayin community.  It is believed that arab terrorists ambushed Mr. Levanon as he was engaged in his nightly prayer meditation in the forest adjacent to the town. At approximately 6:00 p.m. Sunday, the victim was reported missing by a friend who was waiting to travel with him to Tel Aviv.

Security forces later found the body in a wood just outside the gate of his hometown of Bat Ayin. He was pronounced dead at the scene, having been stabbed and possibly attacked with an axe. The victim’s car was stolen by the killers and used in their flight from the scene of the attack.

Erez was reportedly a very special guy:

Rabbi Michi Yosefi, a close friend and neighbor of the late victim, said that Erez was “humble and did not seek attention, yet managed to touch the hearts of thousands of Jews with whom he came in contact during their spiritual searchings in India.”

Erez was also a talented musician, who “did wonders with his music and lyrics.  He put out a disc that is unlike those sold in stores; something very unique.”  The Maariv NRG Hebrew website article on the murder includes a link to hear the song “The Heart and the Well,” written and composed by the victim.

Erez spent the last seven summers in India – first in Manali and afterwards in Bela –  meeting with young Israelis seeking to “clean their heads.”  “What he managed to do there was simply amazing,” Yosefi told Radio Kol Chai.  “I always wondered where such a talent came from…  He had a special strength of faith.”

A number of observations.

1. Can you imagine the uproar if anyone murdered a Muslim in prayer, especially an Israeli?  Besides the ensuing riots and intifada, the mainstream media would be all over the story like a rash. But because here we are dealing with a dead Israeli – even worse, a “settler” – this has not scored a mention in the (non-Israeli) mainstream media. At the time of this post, the main Middle East headlines are:

  • Israeli troops search houses in Nablus
  • Palestinian killed in Israeli siege of Nablus AFP
  • Israeli troops search houses in Nablus AP
  • Abbas arrives in UAE for talks AFP
  • Abbas-Mubarak discuss Palestinian unity gov’t AFP
  • Israel to hold nationwide nuclear attack drill AFP
  • Israeli Troops Place Curfew on West Bank City at The New York Times
  • One shot dead in West Bank raid at BBC
  • 5 Palestinians Die in Gaza Feud at The New York Times
  • Israeli forces launch Nablus raid at BBC
  • Europeans tell Abbas unity gov’t must meet Western demands at Haaretz

    Not one mention. The MSM is clearly more interested in the IDF’s inadvertent killing of palestinians during an army operation to apprehend terrorists.

  • 2. In case it didn’t sink in, two 18-year-old

    palestinian boys planned and executed the brutal stabbing murder of a

    father of three, as he meditated in prayer.

    Think about it. These two boys patrolled the area, waiting for a victim, saw Erez as he prayed, snuck up to him, and stabbed him repeatedly.

    18 years of age.

    What kind of society produces such hatred?

    Is this a society that deserves statehood?

    I posit that morality dictates this society forfeited any claims to statehood a long time ago.

    Update: Please Digg this post if you believe it deserves a wider audience.

    11 thoughts on “The Brutal Death of a Father”

    1. no need to imagine, aussie dave. Baruch Goldstein,yes a JEW, walked into a mosque and opened fire killing 29 arabs it was in 1994 on Purim day. So what, in your view, does morality dictate for th does morlaityNow, what do people of the morally superior with statehood do? Make his ge jewish people? Before you answer, keep in mind, his friends and family have made his grave into a pilgrimage site. I’m sure as a morally superior chosen person, you will one day make a pilgrimage.

    2. How many Baruch Goldsteins are there? Answer: a statistically insignificant number compared to the unending tidal wave of evil Islamofascist murderers.

    3. Baruch Goldstein was quickly denounced by 95% or more of Jews, worldwide, who went out of their way to find Muslims to apologize to and make the point that his actions were not considered proper. When Muslims murder Jews – which happens on a very regular basis – they are hailed as heros by other Muslims. Sometimes there are voiced denouncing the killing – but generally only as poor strategy.

    4. 95% or more of jews denounced what he did? That is the type of statistic you have simply made up to support your argument. My point was simply that jews also do bad things. Until people like aussie dave and you will accept that jews are no more moral or better than muslims (it is after all almost the exact same religion), the killing will not stop.

    5. No, actually I would say 95% is underestimating it. More like 99.9% of Jews denounced what he did.

      So Jews also do bad things….what’s your point?

      Islam and Judaism almost the exact same religion? That is probably the most ridiculous of your comments (which is saying a lot). How about backing it up with some facts?

    6. Get the whole story. Baruch Goldstein had advance notice of a terrorist attack that was planned and was to be carried out by many of the men in that mosque. When government leaders support terrorists, then others must take the law into their own hands in order to defend their country. Did innocent people die? I don’t know (and neither do you) but Islam is a violent religion so you reap the benefits of your beliefs. You also fail to mention that Dr. Goldstein treated many Arabs without question. (BTW, you could have at least given your name.)

    7. The key to extremism is to keep it small and marginalized. You are correct that it is possible for anyone, Jews included, to commit such acts. However, the basic issue is is such extremism small and marginalized?

      Well, since Goldstein did what he did 13 years ago there have been very few other “Goldsteins”. In short, Jews have kept it small and marginalized.

      On the other hand, organizations such as Hamas and Fatah are mainstream. And they are not small either. The culture that they have created is what allows two 18 year old men to think that murdering a lone man in prayer is “normal”.

    8. I agree the key is to keep it marginalized. My point is only this: Aussie Dave and most ardent supporters of either Israel or the Palestinian cause for that matter interpret every fact/happening through the lens of their pre-existing beliefs. This allows Aussie Dave to get all mournful about the loss of Erez Levanon and at the same time respond viciously (look back on what he says about her parents who lost their daughter) when Rachel Corrie is bulldozed. To people like Aussie Dave, Israel can do no wrong, Arabs can do no right, jewish life is worth more than any other life and he will perform amazing mental gymnastics to explain anything Israel did (Rachel Corrie must have deserved to be killed by a bulldozer, any picture showing damage caused by Israeli warplanes is a forgery put forth by those evil terrorists at AP). This is what also allows a person to simply make up facts (“99% of jews …”, “Baruch Goldstein knew of a plot to kill jews and killed the terorists first”).

      As for Islam and Judaism being essentially the same religion, why not leaf through the Koran and see that it recounts stories about Moses, Abraham and many other stories from the Torah. I find it amazing that Hashem and Allah are THE SAME ENTITY. We pray to the same God for Christ’s sake (Christians do too for that matter). Until we accept that all people are the same and jews mourn Rachel Corrie the same as they mourn Erez Levanon and Arabs mourn the death of a jew the same as they mourn the death of a muslim, this war/hatred over a hairsplit difference in beliefs will never end. Oh ya, my name is David.

    9. You are simply wrong. Jews do mourn the deaths of Muslims. Even in wartime. There is great remorse and self introspection when innocent Muslims are killed during Israeli attacks on military targets. There are usually inquiries, and sometimes even prosecutions.

      When a Muslim stabs to death a pregnant woman, and kills at point blank range her four children, he is considered a “hero”.

      You are being an apologist for horrible brutality. Although everyone views the world through their own lens (as you say), you can use that as an excuse for the holocaust, or the present day genocide in Darfur. Your logic makes these actions defensible.

      Stan

    10. why is it that jews are so much better than muslims? Why do they have such a unique capacity for remorse and introspection that you seem to feel muslims don’t. Tell me Stan.

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