Ahead of elections, Netanyahu places cornerstone for new Samaria neighbourhood
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Israeli community of Revava in Samaria on Monday to participate in the unveiling of a new neighbourhood, a day before Israel goes to vote.
PM Netanyahu at the unveiling ceremony. (TPS)
The neighbourhood being built will be named “Neve Achiad” after Rabbi Achiad Ettinger, 47 and the father of 12, who was killed in a terrorist attack in Ariel Square exactly two years ago while attempting to stop the attack, which was expected to be much deadlier if he had not acted.
“We are committed to our land, to the Land of Israel, I ploughed this land at the age of 18, I went through all the places, just when I enlisted the whole Land of Israel was liberated, I walked here a lot, I was excited, here our ancestors walked and here we will return and build our land,” stated Netanyahu.
“The right-wing government under my leadership will continue to build in the Land of Israel, it will continue the heritage of Israel,” he added.
Arab terrorist Omar Abu Laila carried out a double terror attack in Samaria in February 2019 during which he stabbed and killed 19-year-old IDF soldier Staff Sgt. Gal Keidan at the Ariel Junction, stole his weapon and fired at civilians, critically wounding Ettinger. He then got into a car he high jacked, drove to the Gitai Avisar Junction, and fired at Israelis at a bus station, severely wounding another IDF soldier. Ettinger died of his wounds the next day, and Abu Laila was killed by Israeli Special Forces after a 60-hour manhunt.
Ettinger is believed to have saved a mother of three small children, a resident of the town of Revava, at whom the terrorist had already aimed his weapon and at the last second was saved by the gunshots fired by Ettinger at the terrorist.
The community of Revava is very close to Ariel Square, the site of the attack.
Shoham Israel, a company owned by real estate developer Nadav Goldstein, the brother-in-law of Rabbi Ettinger, will build the new neighbourhood “Neve Achiad.”
The neighbourhood will include 40 large garden apartments, in which families with children will live, a living testament for Rabbi Ettinger.
Shoham Israel is also building houses in the Neve Sha’anan neighbourhood in south Tel Aviv, adjacent to the “Oz V’Emunah” yeshiva, which was established and headed by Rabbi Ettinger with a purpose of strengthening the weaker segments of society in south Tel Aviv.
