The far-left, anti-Israel organization IfNotNow blamed a slain Israeli teen for his own murder in the West Bank, saying it mourned that he was part of a controlling regime that makes everyone "less safe."
IfNotNow sounded like terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad in one of its tweets purporting to mourn the death of Dvir Sorek, an 18-year old found stabbed to death Thursday outside the West Bank settlement Migdal Oz. He was a yeshiva student participating in a program combining religious study and military service, according to the Times of Israel, and was returning from buying books for a teacher.
In a series of tweets, IfNotNow mourned his death but then added, "We also mourn the disastrous political decisions that enlist thousands of young Israelis like Dvir into the project of controlling and ruling over millions of Palestinians — making everyone in the land less safe."
"We fight to end the Occupation for a future of freedom and dignity for all Israelis and Palestinians," the group added. "We are also deeply concerned to see [Benjamin] Netanyahu and other politicians exploit this tragedy to further incite fear and hatred against Palestinians and to deepen the Occupation."
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The Israel Defense Forces called the teenager's murder a terrorist attack, and his death is under investigation.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad praised Sorek's murder, and Islamic Jihad suggested his death was an acceptable retaliation for recent Israeli residential demolitions in Palestinian areas, according to the Times of Israel:
The Islamic Jihad terror group intimated that the attack was partially in response to Israel knocking down several residential buildings late last month in the Wadi Hummus neighborhood near Jerusalem's Sur Baher neighborhood and the West Bank security barrier.
"The heroic operation is a natural response to the occupation's terrorism and crimes at the expense of our people, land and holy sites. It is the right of our people to push back against the destruction and demolition of citizens' homes in Wadi Hummus, a crime that requires a painful and deterring response," it said in a statement.
IfNotNow is a young Jewish activist movement which has sought to pressure 2020 Democratic presidential candidates into denouncing Israel's treatment of Palestinians.