Terrorists murdered 31 civilians this past year, bringing the number of victims of terror and war since the creation of the Jewish State to 2,538. 

Ahead of Israel’s upcoming Yom Hazikaron (Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel’s Wars), which will be marked on Tuesday evening and Wednesday, Israel’s National Insurance Institute (NII) published a report documenting the number of civilians murdered in terror attacks and hostilities since the War of Independence up until the present.

The NII report counts 2,538 civilians in Israel who have been murdered in terror attacks since the establishment of the state. This figure includes 122 foreign citizens killed in terror attacks but does not include Jews killed by terrorists outside of Israel.

In the past year, 31 Israelis have been murdered in acts of terrorism. This consists of a sharp climb in comparison with last year, during which two citizens were victims.

The NII attributes the spike to the wave of terror that has hit Israel since the kidnapping and murder of three teenage boys in Gush Etzion last summer, continuing through Operation Protective Edge and beyond.

Among the most outstanding terror incidents of the year are the abduction and murders of Gilad Sha’ar (16), Eyal Yifrah (19, and Naftali Frankel (16) in June; the massacre at a Jerusalem synagogue in November, and a series of car terror attacks in Jerusalem, the latest which occurred last week.

Since the beginning of the Second Intifada in 2000, 1,017 civilians have been killed by terrorists.

Terrorism in Israel has left 2,997 children orphans, of whom 101 children lost both parents; 850 widows and widowers and 943 bereaved parents.

According to CEO Professor Shlomo Mor Yosef, the NII paid NIS 495 million ($126.5 million) in pensions and benefits to thousands of wounded victims and victims’ families during the year 2014.

On Saturday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara visited the grave of the Israeli leader’s brother Yoni, who was buried at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem. Lt. Col. Yoni Netanyahu was killed during the successful operation that he led to free 100 hostages in Entebbe in 1976.

Remembering Jewish Victims in the Diaspora

The Jewish Agency for Israel will hold a Memorial Day ceremony in remembrance of victims of anti-Semitic attacks outside Israel along with Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror attacks within Israel.

According to Jewish Agency data, some 200 Jews have been killed in anti-Semitic attacks outside Israel since the establishment of the Jewish State in 1948.

By: Max Gelber
United with Israel