Settlement residents erect new outpost in memory of slain neighbors

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JERUSALEM (JTA) — Residents of the Halamish settlement set up a new outpost in memory of the three members of the Salomon family killed in a terror attack in their home, as Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to demolish the Palestinian attacker’s home.

Hundreds of Halamish residents and their supporters early Sunday morning set up a caravan, as well as tents, tables and chairs and erected the new outpost on a road outside of the settlement, also blocking it off to Palestinian traffic, Ynet reported.

The outpost is named Yad Ahi, My Brother’s Hand, in memory of the three slain members of the Salomon family: Yosef Salomon, 70, his daughter Chaya Salomon, 46, and son Elad Salomon, 36, a father of 5 children who were in the home at the time of the massacre on Friday night.

Palestinian attacker Omar al-Abed, 19, from the nearby Palestinian village of Kobar, was shot and injured during the attack, which he said in a Facebook post that he carried out due to the addition of metal detectors at the Temple Mount.

One of the teenage attacker’s brothers was detained following a search of the family home by Israeli security forces. The IDF also measured the house in preparation for demolition, according to reports.

The attacker’s uncle told the Times of Israel that his nephew had been arrested three months ago by Palestinian Authority security services and questioned about alleged plans to attack Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting confirmed that the family house would be razed.

“The members of the Government and I share in the terrible grief of the Solomon family. Yosef, Chaya and Elad were murdered by a beast incited by Jew-hatred. The security forces are operating on the ground as necessary, at all times. The home of the loathsome terrorist will be demolished as soon as possible. We are also taking action against those who incite toward acts of murder and those who praise them,” Netanyahu said.

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said that in addition to demolishing the terrorists’ family home, the IDF would revoke from al-Abed’s entire extended family entry permits to Jerusalem and work permits to Israel.

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