Netanyahu Visits Majdal Shams, Site of Hezbollah Attack on Children

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a visit Monday to the town of Majdal Shams in the northern Golan Heights, where twelve children were killed by a Hezbollah rocket on Saturday while playing soccer in a local park.

As Breitbart News reported on Saturday, the rocket struck the soccer field and killed twelve children and teenagers. Some 30 others were wounded and taken to regional hospitals. Israel is mulling strong military action in response.

The Government Press Office issued a statement:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Monday, 29 July 2024), visited the site of the tragedy in Majdal Shams, together with ISA Director Ronen Bar.

The Prime Minister and the ISA Director were briefed by Majdal Shams Local Council Chairman Dolan Abu Saleh and Ein Kiniye Local Council Chairman Wael Mugrabi, at the tragedy site in Majdal Shams where 12 children were murdered by a rocket launched by the Hezbollah terrorist organization. The Prime Minister, on behalf of the Government, laid a wreath at the site.

Prime Minister Netanyahu [translated from Hebrew]:

“We came here to Majdal Shams today, together with Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif and the Majdal Shams and Ein Kiniye local council heads, in order to express our deep solidarity, and our profound shock over the atrocity that took place here. This is a terrible tragedy. Like all citizens of Israel, and I must tell you, like many people across the entire world, we were profoundly shocked by this terrible killing.

Here, Hezbollah, with Iranian backing, fired an Iranian missile that cut short the lives of 12 pure souls, 12 boys and girls who were playing soccer here and who, unfortunately, did not manage to reach shelter. The heart breaks at the terrible tragedy. We embrace the families that are now enduring indescribable suffering.

These children are our children; they are the children of us all. The State of Israel will not, and cannot, ignore this. Our response will come and it will be severe.

To our brothers and sisters: The Druze community has paid a very heavy price in the war, as of today. I salute the heroic soldiers who have given their lives on behalf of all of us. I say to you: We are brothers. We have a covenant of life but, I regret that it is also a covenant of bereavement and sorrow. We embrace you.

To the entire community I say: Do not be disheartened. Do not lose hope in the face of the assault by the Iranian and Hezbollah axis of evil. The State of Israel will continue to stand at your side, here and throughout the area, today, tomorrow and always.

May the memory of these dear and sweet children be with us forever.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu and ISA Director Bar then met with representatives of the bereaved families and heard from them about their heavy loss. The Prime Minister conveyed his sincere condolences to all of the families.

Prime Minister Netanyahu was accompanied by his Chief-of-Staff Tzachi Braverman, Prime Minister’s Office Director General Yossi Shelley, his Military Secretary, Maj.-Gen. Roman Gofman, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, Home Front Command Northern District head Col. Yehuda Lev and Majdal Shams Sheikh Taher Abu Salah.

Netanyahu held a meeting with his security cabinet upon returning from the U.S. on Sunday. The security cabinet agreed to allow Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant to decide on a military response to the attack.

Thus far, it is not clear what the response will be. There is speculation that Israel could move to a full-scale war against Hezbollah, or could launch a more limited strike. Many countries have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of “”The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days,” available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of “The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency,” now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.