Safed Chief Rabbi Demands Harsh Response to Terror Attack and Election Focus on Security

Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, the Chief Rabbi of Safed, called for a strong response following the terror attack at Gilad Farm, where Binyahu Malat and Captain Yuval Ezra were killed. In a radio interview with Galei Yisrael, Rabbi Eliyahu emphasized that security and combating terrorism must be the central issues in the upcoming elections, dismissing other topics as distractions from the main concern.

Rabbi Eliyahu shared his personal connection to Malat, recalling meeting him on Tisha B'Av night and praising his bravery in risking his life to save others during the attack. He described Malat as a righteous individual who saved children from burning homes and vehicles.

The rabbi demanded a severe retaliation against the terrorists, stating there is a need for "great revenge" and that the "gates of hell" should be opened on the village of the perpetrators. He also urged immediate enforcement of the law mandating the expulsion of terrorists from Israel, warning that officials who obstruct this law bear blood on their hands and should be imprisoned.