Widow of Rabbi Shevach, Hy”d, to French Parliament: Your Money Finances Terror

Mrs. Yael Shevach, widow of Rabbi Raziel Shevach, Hy”d, who was murdered in January 2018 in a shooting attack near Chavat Gilad, participated Tuesday in a conference against BDS in the French parliament and called for a halt to the transfer of funds to the Palestinian Authority that reaches the families of terrorists.

The conference was organized by members of parliament together with Shomron Regional Council head Yossi Dagan. Members of Parliament Sylvain Maillard, Meyer Habib and Claude Goasguen participated.

“I was born in Paris 33 years ago, and when I was 8, my parents immigrated to Israel, where I met Raziel, my dear husband, and we had six sweet children, a happy family, without any special stories.

“A year and a half ago my husband was murdered on his way home,” his widow said. “During the trial of one of the terrorists, the terrorist told the judge that he chose Raziel as a target because of his Jewish appearance.”

Rabbi Shevach, Hy”d, a 35-year-old father of six, was driving his car at the time the attack was carried out from a passing vehicle. Rabbi Shevach was a mohel, taught children in the community and also served as a volunteer in the regional health service.

Yael described to the parliament members: “We live under the constant threat of terrorism and the BDS. Europe thinks that our place is not in our homeland. On the other hand, Islamic terror – which has already struck several times in Europe – is continuously trying to hurt us.”

In 2004, the Palestinian Authority passed a law according to which a terrorist who attacked civilians, who murdered women and children, was entitled to financial support in prison, and if he was no longer alive, his family is entitled to payment, which is estimated at $300 million in 2016.

“The Fogel family, also of French origin, was slaughtered a few years ago in Shomron,” said Mrs. Shevach. “The parents and three of their children, including a three-month-old baby, were brutally murdered,” recalls Shevach. “Unfortunately, the parents are no longer here to testify about the massacre.”

She noted that the terrorist who murdered the Fogel family also received payment from the Palestinian Authority when he was arrested. “My husband murderer’s family also got paid for the murder he committed.”

Shechach asked the members of parliament: “Look at the truth. Many countries, including France, are financially supporting the Palestinian Authority. In 2016, France granted €16 million to the Palestinian Authority. Check where your money goes. You do not want the funds to go to murderers. When they again accuse Israel of offsetting the salaries of terrorists from the budgets earmarked for the Palestinian Authority – remember me and my children.”

Speaking to Yael Shevach after her speech, MP Claude Goasguen said: “I was very moved by your speech, and in your speech there was something clear that the French do not know, when you give money to the Palestinian Authority, you cannot control this money.

“Beyond the personal support, I understood that we must continue our struggle against this exploitation of our support.”

Jewish MP Meyer Habib asked, “How can France ask Israel to release $132 million from the Palestinian Authority that goes to the families of terrorists who murdered this woman’s husband?

“Imagine what would have happened if in France they would give money to murderers of the Bataclan or the Hyper-Kacher or Charlie Hebdo every month. It’s hallucinatory that you have to fight for things that are so trivial,” Habib added.