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U.S., Germany condemn killing of sleeping Israeli teen

The United States (U.S.) State Department yesterday condemned a terror attack earlier in the day in which a 13-year-old Israeli girl was stabbed to death in her bed ...
PHOTO: timesofisrael.com

PHOTO: timesofisrael.com

The United States (U.S.) State Department yesterday condemned a terror attack earlier in the day in which a 13-year-old Israeli girl was stabbed to death in her bed, calling it “simply unconscionable.”

Denouncements were also issued by the German Foreign Ministry and the U.S., United Kingdom (UK), and European Union (EU) envoys to Israel, who all said there was no justification for such attacks.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the outrageous terrorist attack this morning in the West Bank where a 13-year-old girl, Hallel Ariel, was stabbed to death in her home,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement. “This brutal act of terrorism is simply unconscionable. We extend our deepest condolences to her family. We also understand another individual who was responding to the attack was wounded by the attacker. We extend our hopes for a quick and full recovery.”

Hallel Yaffa Ariel died of her wounds after she was stabbed in her room yesterday morning by a Palestinian teen – identified as Muhammad Nasser Tarayrah, 17, from the nearby village of Bani Na’im – who jumped the fence into the Kiryat Arba settlement, broke into her house and knifed her, before also stabbing a civilian security guard who arrived at the scene. Tarayrah was shot and killed by other guards.

The German Foreign Office said in a statement that “the stabbing of a 13-year-old girl is a new record in atrocious and cruel acts.”

“No religion, no political conflict and no personal frustration can justify the malicious murder of a sleeping child,” the ministry continued in a rare Hebrew-language statement. “All those responsible for decision making in the region must act together to eradicate the hatred that is filling people’s heads and to promote human values.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, called on the UN Security Council to condemn the killing and charged that incitement from the Palestinian leadership had motivated the attacker.

“There is a direct line between Mahmoud Abbas’ words of incitement in the European Parliament to the ghastly murder of Hallel Ariel,” Danon said, referring to a recent speech given by the PA president in the EU parliament.

“I call on the Security Council to condemn this horrific murder and to put an end to the rampant Palestinian incitement.”

US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro posted a message to his Twitter feed, saying, “I strongly condemn the murder of 13 year old Halel Ariel. There’s never a justification for such terrorism. May God send comfort to her family.”

UK Ambassador to Israel, David Quarrey, similarly denounced the incident.

“Condemn today’s horrific terrorist attack,” he tweeted. “Can be no possible justification for murder of 13 year old girl in her bed.”

Lars Faaborg-Andersen, the head of the European Union’s delegation in Israel, wrote, “Strongly condemn terror murder of Hallel Yaffa Ariel in Kiryat Arba this morning. No excuse for terrorism – LFA”

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