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Sun, March 13, 2011 | Prime Minister’s Office

The five murdered Israelis: Udi Fogel, 36, Ruth Fogel, 35, and their children Yoav, 11, Elad, 4, and three-month-old Hadas.

Netanyahu on Itamar Murder: PA isn’t Educating Palestinians Toward Peace

Israel’s ministerial team for settlements approved hundreds of new apartments in the settlements of Ma’ale Adumim, Ariel, Kiryat Sefer and in Gush Etzion in a special meeting on Saturday after five members of an Israeli family — including three children — were knifed to death while asleep in their home in Itamar friday night.

The new settlement construction would take place in settlement blocs that Israel expects to hold on to in any final peace deal, the prime minister’s office said.

Meanwhile, at the start of Sunday’s weekly Israeli Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said Abbas’ condemnation of the Itamar murder wasn’t strong enough. Netanyahu also said that Israel wants “to see unequivocal action by the PA to stop allowing this incitement, that it stop leading this incitement. We think that educating people toward peace is an integral part of peace.”

Read Netanyahu’s remarks below:

“Last night I spoke with Chaim Fogel and with Rabbi Yehuda Ben-Yishai, the fathers of Udi and Ruthie Fogel, respectively, may their memories be blessed. I came to console them and I heard the crying of their young grandchildren who survived. And this is what they told me: Mr. Prime Minister, may God give you the strength, understanding, wisdom and bravery to defend the Israeli people, all of Israel’s citizens, at this time.

Today, the Government will be briefed by IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz and the Deputy Director of the ISA about the chain of events regarding the murder, about the actions being taken to apprehend the murderers and about other matters that are occurring on the ground. We will also be briefed about the incitement being carried on within the Palestinian Territories, in the schools, mosques and official PA media.

We are witnessing hair-raising things. For example, we know that there is supposed to be a soccer game there in memory of a suicide terrorist who murdered and wounded dozens of people on Jaffa Road, in Jerusalem. Regrettably, we see the PA awarding scholarships to the families of murderers. We see that they name squares after terrorists who murdered dozens of Israelis. These do not jibe with education for peace.

I spoke with Abu Mazen last night. He called to express his sorrow over the event. I told him that we expect much more unequivocal condemnations but even more than that, we want to see unequivocal action by the PA to stop allowing this incitement, that it stop leading this incitement. We think that educating people toward peace is an integral part of peace. We also intend to raise this issue in the international sphere, as one of the necessary building blocks of peace.”

Source: Prime Minister’s Office.