Rivlin to slain terror victim's widow: Be doubly strong
During president's visit to family of Yotam Ovadia, who was stabbed to death by Palestinian terrorist last week, victim's wife says 'The children don't understand', failure to demolish family’s home ‘is not right.’
“There are no words of condolence on a personal level. Your loss is unbearable. We get, and will get, criminal murderers such as these anywhere and wherever they flee,” said Rivlin during his condolence visit to the family in Adam.
Yotam, 31, was on his way to his parents’ house to collect items he bought for a romantic dinner he had prepared to surprise his wife, Tal, to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Tu B’Av—similar to Valentine's Day—when he was attacked with a knife by 17-year-old Mohammad Tareq Yousef.
“The children don’t understand. They can feel that something has changed,” Tal told the president, who responded: “You need double strength right now, both to bear your pain and grief and for the grief of your children.”
Tal also said that her murdered husband loved the fact that Adam was situated close to Jerusalem. “I felt as though I lived in the safest place there is. I was never scared for a second,” the mourning widow said.
“That is the fate that accompanies us as a people and still, when it strikes on a personal level it is incomprehensible,” replied Rivlin. “We are with you in our hearts.”
Yotam’s parents, Avraham and Karmella, said that they appreciate the love and concern demonstrated by the people in the country. “We meet the good people in Israel and we feel like we are in the hearts of the entire people,” they said.
Tal also told the president that “The terrorist’s family cannot be left. They receive salaries and encouragement. To not demolish their home is not right.”
The president responded by assuring her that “The matter will be dealt with as they should be. There will be no getting off the hook … Every person should get the punishment they deserve. Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) also needs to understand that he cannot encourage murderers.”
Earlier today, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman also visited the Ovadia family to express his condolences.
“My heart was broken upon seeing the tragic consequence of the killing of Yotam Ovadia,” Friedman said upon leaving. “A young mother left alone to care for two toddlers, parents mourning their only son. There are no words that can describe the evil and barbarity of this act of terror.”
