Knesset Chairman Amir Ohana toured the Kibbutzim of Be’eri and Re’im today (Sunday) with Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of the French National Assembly, in the wake of the massacre committed at these sites by Hamas terrorists.
During the visit which included three additional French Members of Parliament, Ohana presented them with some of the war crimes committed on site. In addition, the tour included the area of the massacre at the party near Re’im and Shura camp where bodies are being identified.
Ohana: We Need to Take Vengeance on the Nazis and That’s What We’ll Do
The Knesset Chairman described the murderous acts by Hamas to participants: “Just two and a half weeks ago, this place was heaven. But what the people here were forced to endure that cursed Shabbat, was more than the loss of their lives.”
According to him, “the terrorists did not just come to kill, they came to deliver a message. Rape, mutilation, beheading, and burning of people with their hands bound while still alive – this is more than killing. This is the reason that for the first time I use Holocaust terms for an event other than the Holocaust. Because that’s what happened to people here. 80 years after the Holocaust, we need to take vengeance on the Nazis, and that’s exactly what we’ll do.”
Ohana added that he “seeks to encourage the Jews of France, who are experiencing a worrying rise in antisemitic incidents and who fear for their lives from people who express support for the war crimes which Hamas committed. I wish to express my appreciation for the steps taken and which will be taken by France to deal with the phenomenon, out of an understanding of their seriousness.”
French National Assembly President: “We’re On Your Side”
During the tour of the murder scenes, the President of the French National Assembly addressed the tragic events that occurred there: “It’s very emotional, and also very hard to be here today, to lead a delegation of representatives of the French Parliament. But we felt it necessary to witness what happened here with our own eyes.”
Braun-Pivet also noted how France stands with Israel in this time. “We are here to remind the Israeli people of the depth of friendship between the countries, to express sorrow and respect, to stress Israel’s right to self-defense and express deep appreciation for the resilience of the Israeli people,” she said.
She added that: “No-one could have imagined such things would have happened in 2023, but here we are. Know that France is on your side.”
As previously reported, a week ago, the Jewish Braun-Pivet declared a moment of silence during a meeting of the French Parliament in memory of the victims of the horrors and as a sign of support for Israel.
The National Assembly President’s declaration of support joins the many declarations of parliaments around the world as well as the visit of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, who also toured the settlements of the Western Negev with Knesset Chairman Ohana and expressed their support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
