Meir Tamari, 32, HYD

Meir Tamari HYD, a 32 year old Chabad father of 2 from Tzfas, Israel, was murdered in a terror attack in Israel on Tuesday.

Meir, formerly of Tzfas, Israel, was a resident of Harish and a father of two children aged one and three. He was killed Tuesday in a shooting attack near Harish in the northern Samaria region.

Described as a devoted student and a beloved friend, Tamari grew up in Tzfas, Israel where his parents, Rabbi Moshe and Ariella Tamari, are Shluchim.

He established his home with his wife Tal in Harish, where they have been raising their children for the past four years. In recent days they completed building their home, which Meir built with his own hands.

According to local authorities, Tamari came under fire from a passing vehicle on a road near the settlement of Hermesh, west of Jenin. He continued driving until he reached the community, where he was treated by medics.

The Magen David Adom ambulance service said Tamari, a civilian, was treated in serious condition at the entrance to the settlement, after suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body. A helicopter was dispatched to the scene to take the victim to Hillel Yaffe Hospital in Hadera, where he was later declared dead.

The Israel Defense Forces said troops launched a manhunt for the gunmen, closing off several roads in the area.

In a statement carried by Palestinian media, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group, loosely linked to the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah party, claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, said today: “It is very difficult news, our hearts are broken together with the entire settlement family and with all of Israel.”

“It hurts so much to say it now, but we all understand. The writing was on the wall. This attack could have been prevented. The attack took place a few meters from a checkpoint that if it had been active this attack would have been avoided. We begged them to return the checkpoint, we warned that blood would be paid and we were not answered,” Dagan said.

“If the Israeli government had not succumbed to international pressure and removed the security checkpoints, including this checkpoint, Meir would be here with us today and tonight he would be laughing and playing with his young children and his wife Tal. I demand now the return of the security checkpoints. If soldiers had stopped the terrorist at a checkpoint that still exists but is not manned, Meir would still be with us,” he added.