2nd Samaria Terror Victim, Father of 12, Passes Away

Rabbi Achiad Ettinger, who was shot by a Palestinian terrorist on Sunday in Samaria, succumbed to his wounds the next morning.

By Aryeh Savir, TPS

Rabbi Achiad Ettinger, who was critically wounded in Sunday’s shooting attack at the Ariel Junction in Samaria, passed away on Monday morning.

Ettinger, 47, from the community of Eli in Samaria, was the father of 12 children. He headed a yeshiva in a difficult neighborhood in south Tel Aviv.

He was hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition after being shot in the head.

An investigation  shows that Ettinger drove through the junction but then noticed that there was an attack and turned back. He drew his weapon and fired four shots at the terrorist before being hit by the assailant’s bullets.

The Ettinger family stated after his passing that “the holy rabbi…revealed daring, courage and great bravery while shooting at the despicable terrorist.”

The family thanked the staff at the Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikvah, the Magen David Adom emergency response teams and the Samaria security division, as well as all those who had prayed for his recovery.

Nineteen-year-old IDF soldier Staff Sgt. Gal Keidan was also killed in the first of two attacks carried out by the terrorist, who stabbed him before stealing his weapon.

Another soldier was severely injured when the terrorist shot him at the nearby Gitai Avishar Junction during the second phase of the attack. The victim remains in serious condition.

The terrorist, Omar Abu Laila, is still at large, and the IDF is conducting a broad manhunt.