Israeli lawmaker calls for the execution of Palestinian attacker's family in 'dangerous' and 'racist' video

In the video, Israeli MK Oren Hazan, a member of the ruling far-right Likud party, expressed desires to execute the family of Palestinian assailant Omar al-Abed and demolish their home.
2 min read
29 July, 2017
Omar al-Abed [Facebook]
An Israeli lawmaker has come under fire after posting a video claiming he would execute the family of a Palestinian assailant, despite there being no evidence of them perpetuating any violence.

In a video uploaded to his Facebook, Israeli MK Oren Hazan, who is a member of the ruling far-right Likud party expressed his desire to execute the family of Palestinian assailant Omar al-Abed and demolish their home.

“If it was up to me, I would have gone to the terrorist’s house yesterday, grabbed him and his whole family and executed them all together,” Hazan said in his video.

He urged Israelis to “stop being nice” and to “stop being humanitarian”, as he expressed his disgust that at the fact that al-Abed is being treated in hospital after being shot for stabbing three Israeli settlers to death.

He then added that execution is the “lightest” form of punishment for al-Abed.

The provocative message received an outpour of condemnations by Palestinians who fear the very dehumanisation and militarisation Hazan is perpetuating in his message.

Mustafa Barghouti, the former Palestinian information minister branded the video as "dangerous" and said it exposes the "deeply ingrained racism" in Israel.

A day after the attack, Israeli forces raided the home of al-Abed. Whilst announcing the raid, the Israeli military had vowed to destroy the family abode.

The raid resulted in the arrest of the attacker's brother, an Israeli military spokeswoman said. Movement of Palestinians from his village was also restricted by Israeli security services.