Israel On Alert Following Terror Attacks

By | December 22, 2020

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem, Israel — December 22, 2020 … Following the brutal terror attack on Esther Horgen, an Israeli civilian who was murdered near Tal Menashe, a settlement in northern Samaria, the IDF on Tuesday said it is increasing security measures in the West Bank.

The IDF “will reinforce troops in Judea and Samaria today [Tuesday] to enhance the defense of communities and roads in the region,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said.

All soldiers in the Judea and Samaria Division will be under curfew until Friday. Also on Monday, a terrorist attack took place in Jerusalem’s Old City near Lions’ Gate. The suspect, a 17-year-old Palestinian from Kabatiya, near Jenin, was armed with a submachine gun and shot at police before being neutralized by Border Police (MAGAV) officers, the police said.

The husband of Esther Horgen, whose wife was found dead in a northern West Bank forest, called for an increase in settlement building and “an appropriate security response” to the terror attack. The head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, said that Horgen was murdered with a large rock.

“Esther raised a beautiful family and loved her grandchildren, and now they will have neither a mother nor a grandmother. Esther will be missed by us all, her family and everyone who knew her,” Benjamin Horgen told reporters outside his home in the Tal Menashe settlement.

His wife Esther, 52, a mother of six, had gone out for a run in the Reihan forest near their house Sunday afternoon and did not return, whereupon Benjamin called police. Her body was found overnight in the forest with signs of violence on it.

Esther’s daughter Odelia mourned the loss of her mother and in tears said that she would not be at her future wedding.

Esther Horgen, 52, who was found dead in the northern West Bank from a terror attack on December 20, 2020.

“My mother is my best friend. She came to visit me at the end of the world, in Australia. Where are you now, mother?” said Odelia. “I am sorry that you will not dance at my wedding.”

Dozens of mourners attended Esther’s funeral including Settlements Minister Tzachi Hanegbi.

Israeli forensics and police officers at the scene where Esther Horgen was found dead in a forest in the northern West Bank.
Photo by Meir Vaknin/Flash90

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: “The late Esther Horgan was brutally murdered when she went out for a run near her home. The Israel intelligence and security forces will apprehend the murderers as quickly as possible and we will settle accounts with those responsible. I would like to send my deepest condolences to the family.”

“Every city, town, park and nature trail will have a combination of armed security forces, cameras and or drones monitoring the area,” said an Israeli security official.

“Those responsible for terror attacks will be found and addressed. And we will make sure that those who murder Jewish civilians are not rewarded in a pay for slay arrangement by the Palestinian Authority, ISIS, Hamas and or Islamic Jihad. We trust that the Biden administration will not provide aid to the Palestinians which will then reward the murder of Jews.”

Leave a Reply