Israel hands over remains of Har Adar attacker to his family
Thousands of Palestinians participated in a funeral procession.
By ADAM RASGONUpdated: FEBRUARY 18, 2018 05:07Mourners carry the body of Nimr al-Jamal, who was shot dead September of last year by Israeli forces after carrying out an attack, during his funeral on February 17, 2018, in the West Bank(photo credit: ABBAS MOMANI / AFP)
Israel on Friday handed over the remains of Nimr al-Jamal, who shot dead three security men more than five months ago, to his family, the official PA news site Wafa reported.Jamal, who was a resident of Beit Surik, killed a Border Police officer and two security guards at the entrance to Har Adar, a settlement northwest of Jerusalem, in September. He was 37.Shortly following the attack, the Shin Bet said that Jamal had familial problems and had been left by his wife.Authorities gave Jamal’s remains to his family on Friday evening, in coordination with the Palestinian Red Crescent and the Palestinian Authority Civil Affairs Ministry, Walid Wahdan, a spokesman for the ministry, said in a phone call.On Saturday, thousands of Palestinians in Beit Surik, a village adjacent to Har Adar, participated in a funeral procession for Jamal.Some participants in the procession carried yellow Fatah and green Hamas flags.The family of Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose remains are believed to be held captive by Hamas, slammed Israel’s decision to turn over Jamal’s dead body to his family.“The government’s decision to release the body of the terrorist who carried out the deadly attack in Har Adar... is a betrayal of the IDF’s soldiers,” the Goldin family said in a statement.The Goldins have been calling on authorities to use pressure tactics against Hamas and other Palestinian entities to hasten the return of their son’s body.Hamas is said to be holding captive three Israeli civilians and the remains of Goldin and St.-Sgt. Oron Shaul.
Israel also transferred the remains of Hamza Zamaara to his family, the Wafa report said.Zamaara, who was a resident of Halhoul, near Hebron, stabbed a security at the entrance to Karmei Tzur on February 7, according to the IDF. He was 19.
