Sderot mayor: We will not seek revenge
By Mijal Grinberg, Haaretz
Tensions were already high in Sderot yesterday, after four Qassam rockets struck the town in the early morning hours. Then, in an additional barrage of two rockets, came the lethal strike. A Qassam rocket hit not far from Defense Minister Amir Peretz's home, where Maor Peretz, one of the defense minister's bodyguards, was conducting a routine patrol. From the other direction approached Faina Slutzker, 57, hurrying on her way to helping the elderly. The rocket seriously injured Peretz and critically wounded Slutzker. Maxim Nizri, a Magen David Adom medic, said that when he arrived on the scene, Slutzker had already lost consciousness; she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Slutzker's husband Michael, who arrived on the scene to look for his wife, was taken to the hospital. There he was joined by a social worker from the Sela immigrant aide organization, who helped notify family members of Slutzker's death and accompanied them throughout the day. Slutzker was laid to rest yesterday afternoon. Her funeral was attended by Hadash MKs Mohammad Barakeh, Dov Khenin, and Hanna Swaid, who had met earlier with Sderot Mayor Eli Moyal and emphasized the need to stop the killing of civilians. The participants in the meeting also decided to reach out to residents of the Gaza Strip to try and stop the cycle of violence, municipality spokesman Yossi Cohen said.
This message was also conveyed by Barakeh during the funeral. He told Haaretz, "The security of Beit Hanun is derived from the security of Sderot, and vice versa."
Moyal made similar comments when he spoke of Faina Slutzker. "The easiest thing right now is to seek revenge," said Moyal. "But we will not seek it. This city will become a symbol as a city that desires peace, and we will be heard, in all of Palestine."
At roughly 7 P.M., an additional rocket hit central Sderot, seriously injuring a 17-year-old. The fear in the town has risen. "It is like we are in a firing range," the residents fumed. A number of youths lit tires in an intersection and shouted "Death to the Arabs."