After complaining that Britain declared it terrorist, Hamas "political wing" carries out and praises the murder of a religious Jew

This morning, a Hamas terrorist with a submachine gun started shooting Jews returning from prayer at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, killing one and injuring others.

The victim was still wearing his tallit and tefillin when he was murdered. He was killed because he was a Jew.

The murderer, Fadi Abu Shkhaidem, was a preacher and teacher at a school in Jerusalem - the Rashidiya school which is under the authority of Israel's Education Ministry. 

This terrorist was teaching high school boys every day.

Reportedly, his family left for Jordan several days ago, presumably to avoid being arrested by Israel.

According to Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev, Shkaidem was a member of Hamas' so-called "political wing" - not the Al Qassam Brigades "military wing" of Hamas.  The Al Qassam website is not claiming him as a member.

Hamas' political website issued a statement, in Arabic and English, that tied this attack to the British decision to ban all of Hamas as a terrorist group.

The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, mourns the heroic martyr, Sheikh Fadi Mahmoud Abu Shukhaydem, a leader of the movement who carried out the Bab al-Silsila operation in the occupied Jerusalem today.

We affirm that the option of comprehensive resistance in all forms, especially armed resistance, is the one capable of curbing the enemy and stopping its aggression.

Our Palestinian people will continue their resistance despite all the hostile decisions made by the colonial countries that aim to perpetuate the occupation and repudiate the historical rights of our people.

The British decision, and declaration that Hamas is antisemitic, has been proven correct - unfortunately at a very high cost.

Notably, the Palestinian Authority also condemned the British decision, choosing to support Hamas rather than admit that it was a terror group.

Mainstream Palestinian Arabic media, justifying the attack, refers to the victims as either "soldiers,"  "settler" or an "extremist Zionist rabbi." Palestinian media avoids as much as possible any hint that a Jew can be an innocent victim of terror.

It is also notable that there has been an increase in online criticism of Hamas in Gaza recently. Hamas' popularity among mainstream Palestinian Arabs always goes up after they attack Jews, so the timing here may be to blunt the criticism against Hamas corruption.  (h/t Ibn Boutros)

People handed out sweets in Gaza to celebrate the murder of a religious Jew.

Hamas has proven that the British decision is correct. The mainstream Palestinian support for terror attacks proves that there is no interest in peace with Israel.

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