Ramallah: In a joint letter, the families of Israelis killed in stabbing attacks have demanded their government expel the families of the Palestinian attackers with no chance of return. They have argued that a family that raised an attacker, educated him and taught him to “hate Jews” must pay the price, if for nothing else than for the deterrence that this type of expulsion creates.

“We ask and demand from all Knesset members and all ministers to support this action, which will never be ‘proportional’ because the response that the lowly attackers and their families deserve needs to be a lot harder, more painful and deterrent,” read the letter.

Since last October, at least 160 Palestinians and 25 Israelis have been killed in the violence.

The families said that the Israeli regime must take decisive action to stop attacks. “We, family members of Jews murdered and wounded in recent attacks wave, shout out and demand from the government of Israel that it do all in its power to stop this bleeding. It seems impossible to contain the murder of Jews. Unfortunately, we see that the actions that the state of Israel is taking are not stopping the incitement and the murder sprees.

“Expulsion is the minimum that the government of Israel must do in order to stop the Palestinian attacks. Israel must clarify unmistakably that it will in no way tolerate the murder of Jews and therefore it will do anything to foil attacks. And if currently there is no option of truly doing anything, expelling the families and financial harm is the minimum,” read the letter.

Senior Israeli regime politicians have strongly supported this demand and pledged to defend it and enact it into law.

“The current Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu is believed to be [the most] foolish government in the Israeli history. Politically, it is foolish enough to pledge allegiance to the Israeli families and get their disastrous demand approved, turning that demand into a law,” said Alaa Al Rimawi, a Palestinian political analyst and expert in Israeli affairs. “Israel is taking advantage even of its dead to improve the image of the Israeli occupation in the international arena”.

Al Rimawi said there is no legal excuse to expel the families of Palestinians from their homeland. “The law does not give Israel the right to expel a single family member. Israel [is bringing in] a law from the dark ages,” he told Gulf News.

“The escalating violence and the increase in the number of attacks against Israelis throw the Israeli government into total confusion ...” he said. “Israel must either end its 50-year occupation of the Palestinian territories or burn all Palestinians to death. Israel cannot enjoy security while still holding the Palestinian people by force and perpetuating the occupation.”