After the combined ramming and stabbing Hamas attack in Ra'anana on early Monday afternoon, many have been asking questions, and debating security at bus stops.
One person on Facebook expressed his concerns about the safety of bus stops. "We're facing these vehicle terror attacks against people standing at a bus stop for years, how come we still don't have a solution for it?" He wrote.
"Just install a fence in front of each bus stop and only leave space for bus boarding," he said. "A few thousand shekels per bus stop will save priceless lives of city residents and guests."
The man's comments sparked a debate on whether or not now is the time to ask such questions after someone replied to his comment, "Is it really the time to ask questions?"
The man replied: "Yeah, I strongly doubt that you, as well as 99% of this group's members, remember [the] last car ramming [that] happened in Ra'anana or elsewhere. [Because] people tend to forget bad things and move by getting back to their day to day lives. The whole [of] Israel has been facing these attacks for years and what has changed? Bus stops are still fully open and are welcoming these bastards to just drive into a crowd with zero barriers in front of them. Our municipalities and security forces should be ashamed [because] that's partly their fault for not making cities safe."
"People have short [term] memories," another person commented. "This needs to be attended to and the security needs to be increased. But why are the residents the only people who think this? The Iriya does nothing."
Politicians condemning attack
US Ambassador Jack Lew wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "I condemn the brutal terrorist attacks today in Ra'anana that led to at least one dead and scores wounded, including children. I offer my deepest condolences to the family mourning the loss of their loved one and wishing a quick recovery to those wounded."
I condemn the brutal terrorist attacks today in Ra’anana that led to at least one dead and scores wounded, including children. I offer my deepest condolences to the family mourning the loss of their loved one and wishing a quick recovery to those wounded.
— Ambassador Jack Lew (@USAmbIsrael) January 15, 2024
New York Congressman Ritchie Torres condemned the attack as well, saying, "A series of terror attacks - car ramming and stabbing - have left multiple Israelis, including children, in Ra'anana dead or critically wounded.
"My heart goes out to the victims of the terror attack and their families.
A series of terror attacks—car-ramming and stabbing—have left multiple Israelis, including children, in Ra’anana dead or critically wounded. My heart goes out to the victims of the terror attack and their families. There is NO justification for the cold-blooded murder of…
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) January 15, 2024
"There is NO justification for the cold-blooded murder of innocent civilians and children."