Israel’s prime minister ordered on Tuesday an investigation after a Palestinian school in Jerusalem invited the father of a Palestinian terrorist who killed Israeli civilians to speak to students.
Benjamin Netanyahu asked Israel’s Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to look into whether the visit constituted incitement.
Mohammed Allyan claims the school invited him to speak and that he told the children to read books. He denied inciting violence.
His son, together with another terrorist, shot and stabbed passengers on a bus in October, killing Alon Gobeberg, Haim Haviv and Richard Lakin, who also had American citizenship, before being shot dead by security forces. Another 17 Israelis were wounded in the attack.
Lakin was an educator who worked for peace and coexistence.
Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders is a key factor behind a wave of Palestinian attacks in recent months, which have claimed the lives of 33 victims and wounded over 400.
In the meantime, Micah Avni, Lakin’s son, has challenged the Palestinian school to invite him to address the students and talk about coexistence.
Avni said that after learning that the school had invited Allyan’s family members to address students, he contacted the principal and asked him “to invite me to give a talk to show the other side of the picture, and how we can live together in coexistence by respecting each other, and resolving conflicts by talking rather than fighting,” the Times of Israel reported.
Avni said “incitement was the main factor that leads to the spread of terror.” Since his father’s murder, Avni has been outspoken and active in fighting Palestinian incitement to terror, and especially on social media.
By: AP and United with Israel Staff