Jewish terrorism must be stopped....

Terrorism is wrong, no matter if it is by a Palestinian or an Israeli.

Israel mourns with the Arab community of Shfaram, which lost four of its members, Christians and Muslims, to a Jewish terrorist last Thursday.

Everyone knew that the tiny violent fringe with which the murderer openly identified existed. And that raises many questions regarding whether this tragedy could have been prevented – and underlines the urgent need to prevent a recurrence.

The IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) have much explaining to do. They knew about this particular deserter from basic training. His family desperately pleaded that he be taken into custody. They warned that he was armed and living in Kfar Tapuah, a well-known center of the politically-banned Kahane Chai fringe group. The family even involved radio correspondents in their vain efforts to pressure the authorities into detaining him. The killer himself even recently tried to turn himself in at the Kfar Maimon rally. On the day he took his dreadful bus ride, the IDF belatedly messaged the mother that "the case is being dealt with."

The security authorities must now redouble their efforts to ensure that any other Jewish extremists ready to take the law into their hands are thwarted – that warnings are heeded, that information on potential threats is acted upon promptly.