Israel Returns Bodies of Har Nof Terrorists to Families

Israeli man mourns the killings at a synagogue in the Har Nof section of Jerusalem. Image by naomi zeveloff

By JTA December 25, 2014

Israel returned the bodies of two terrorists who killed five worshippers in an attack on a synagogue in the Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem.

The bodies were transferred to their families on Thursday, more than a month after attack during morning worship services at Bnei Torah Kehillat Yaakov, which left four rabbis and a police officer dead.

The two terrorists, Palestinian cousins Uday and Ghassan Abu Jamal, were buried shortly after the transfer in a West Bank cemetery and not in the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber where they had lived. The speedy interment was required by Israel, the Palestinian Maan news agency reported.

Only 40 relatives were allowed to attend the funeral and the families paid a $5,000 deposit to insure that they adhered to Israel’s stipulations.

Following the attack, Israel’s Interior Ministry revoked the residency permit of Ghassan Abu Jamal’s widow, requiring her to leave Israeli territory and stripping her of any financial benefits she receives from the state. Demolition orders also have been issued for the homes of both terrorists.

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