Israeli security forces have been searching for terrorists behind an explosion on Friday near a natural spring in the West Bank that killed a teenage Israeli girl Rina Shnerb and seriously injured her father and brother.
Rina Shnerb Photo: Courtesy her family
The IDF called the attack “very serious,” and said that an improvised explosive device was used. The police determined that the bomb had been planted there earlier and was triggered remotely when the family approached it.
“Her father, Eitan Shnerb, is said to be conscious and in moderate condition, while his 19-year-old son is out of surgery and stable with injuries to his entire body. The two men were evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem [in Jerusalem] for medical treatment by helicopter,” according to the Post.
Rabbi Shnerb received a citation from the IDF in February for thwarting a terrorist attack.
Thousands flocked to attend Rina Shnerb’s funeral.
The first MDA responder is a relative of the victims.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who held a security meeting following the attack, offered his condolences and vowed to capture those responsible.
“We will continue to strengthen [Jewish] communities,” he said. “We will spread our roots deeper and strike out at our enemies. Security forces are in pursuit of the vile terrorists. We will reach them. Our long arm will pay them their dues.”
Helicopter arrives at the scene Photo: MDA
The first responder was Magen David Adom Shlomo Pearl who said: “The road was hilly and made it difficult for the ambulance to pass. We parked nearby and ran with medical equipment to the scene. We noticed three injured people lying at the scene, a man about 46 and a young man about 21, fully conscious, and next to them lay a girl about 17-year-old, unconscious. They suffered, all of them, from a multi-system trauma, with shrapnel injuries. As I approached, I was amazed to find they were my relatives. The young man is also undergoing a MDA medic’s course. I knew I needed to ignore my emotion, and concentrate on medical care, to save their lives. Along with large MDA teams, IDF medical forces, and people who arrived to help, we gave them life-saving medical care, and after stabilizing the condition of the 46-year-old and 21-year-old, we transferred them to our MICUs to an IDF helicopter, which landed near the scene. “
MDA paramedic Itay Peretz and MDA EMT Isaac Pink told their story. “The sight was difficult. A girl about 17-year-old, unconscious, without a pulse and without breathing. She suffered a severe systemic injury because of shrapnel and the blast. We performed medical examinations, but she was without signs of life, and unfortunately, in a short time we had to determine her death. A young man, 21-year-old, suffered multiple systemic trauma because of the shock wave and shrapnel, was fully conscious and communicated with us. We continued it provide medical care while evacuating them to the nearby IDF helicopter, in a serious and unstable.” condition
As we come from the end of Shabbat here in Australia, the Zionist Council of New South Wales (ZCNSW) joins all the people of Israel in mourning the tragic loss of Rina Shnerb, a 17 year old Israeli girl, murdered in a horrific terror attack outside the community of Dovel, while on a hike with her family.
We pray that Rina’s memory, cut so mercilessly short, always remain a blessing, as we wish for her father and brother, also seriously hurt in the attack, a full and speedy recovery.
Paramedic MDA Ze’evi Hefetz lives in Dolev, He said: “I was in my house in the nearby community of Dolev when suddenly I heard a loud noise of an explosion and realized that something had happened. Immediately afterwards, I was launched and reported that there was an attack. I went used an MDA ambulance that was on alert in the community and drove quickly to the scene. The scene of the attack was difficult. We provided medical treatment to the injured, including a 46-year-old man who was fully conscious and suffered from shrapnel and the top of his torso. He told us that while travelling, there was a sudden explosion. After we stabilized his condition and gave him medical treatment, which included bleeding and respiratory assistance, we evacuated him in an ambulance and to an IDF helicopter, which landed nearby. “
The scan of the attack Photo/TPS
ZCNSW President Richard Balkin told J-Wire: “Rina, a beautiful young Israeli girl was murdered by these barbaric terrorists for one reason and one reason only – she was a Jew.
The whole world must unite in unequivocally condemning this vicious act of terror and to hold the Palestinian leadership accountable for the relentless incitement that directly leads to these kinds of acts of violence! In this regard, we note and appreciate the heartfelt condemnation of the attack by Australian Ambassador to Israel Chris Cannan and his message of solidarity with the victims of the attack.
At a time when one can easily be lost for words in such difficult, heartbreaking circumstances, we take some measure of comfort in turning to the powerful words of Rina’s father, Rabbi Eitan Shnerb, himself seriously hurt in the attack: “We are here, we are strong & we will prevail.”
This is the Israeli spirit, the very embodiment of Am Yisrael Chai and why we will prevail over such hate!”
Co-CEO of The Executive Council of Australian Jewry Alex Ryvchin said: “We are angered and appalled by the calculated killing of 17-year-old Rina Shnerb in a bombing that also left her brother and father with serious injuries. We understand that a bomb was placed by the natural spring and detonated remotely just as the family approached. To the Palestinian terrorists who did this and their apologists around the world, this savage crime will be rationalised as an act of resistance.
To any decent human being, this is an act of supreme cowardice and cold-blooded murder that has taken a girl from her family. Such acts do nothing to advance Palestinian interests. In fact, they only harden the resolve of Israelis to live freely and to never allow terrorists to determine political outcomes. May the memory of Rina forever bless her family and those who knew her. May her family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and may justice he swift.”
The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council has expressed its sincere sympathies to the Shnerb family following the callous murder of Rina in an attack which also injured her father Rabbi Eitan Shnerb and her brother Dvir.
AIJAC Executive Director Dr Colin Rubenstein said “the appalling, premeditated Palestinian terrorist attack is a result of the callous disregard for human life and hostility to peaceful coexistence which is promoted and celebrated by Hamas and others. While murdering Israelis and attempting to destroy Israel remains central to Palestinian political culture, prospects for any “peace process” appear remote indeed.”
The Zionist Federation of Australia is mourning the death of 17-year-old Rina Shenrav.
“Acts of terror perpetrated against innocent civilians are reprehensible. However, the actions of Shenrav’s killers cannot be viewed in a vacuum. They are a direct result of daily and incessant incitements to violence against Israelis espoused by Palestinian political and religious leaders and others elsewhere who give succor to their cause,” said ZFA President Jeremy Leibler.
“We send our deepest condolences to Rina’s family and pray that her father Eitan and brother Dvir have a quick and easy recovery”.
In the past few weeks alone, two Israelis have been murdered and dozens injured in attacks both in the West Bank and along the border with Gaza.
On behalf of the Christians and supporters of Israel represented through Bridges For Peace I would like to express our deepest condolences to Rina’s family and we are praying for the swift and total recovery of her father and brother. I also want to utterly condemn this appalling act of cowardly violence which typifies the underlying hatred and violent attitude towards Israel and Jewish people that is being propagated within much of the Arab world in particular Israels neighbors. This hatred must not be tolerated and call out for what it is. EVIL. Not disguised under false banners such as “right of return” or “retaliation against our oppressors” which only perpetuate the violence and hatred.
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On behalf of the Christians and supporters of Israel represented through Bridges For Peace I would like to express our deepest condolences to Rina’s family and we are praying for the swift and total recovery of her father and brother. I also want to utterly condemn this appalling act of cowardly violence which typifies the underlying hatred and violent attitude towards Israel and Jewish people that is being propagated within much of the Arab world in particular Israels neighbors. This hatred must not be tolerated and call out for what it is. EVIL. Not disguised under false banners such as “right of return” or “retaliation against our oppressors” which only perpetuate the violence and hatred.