Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning (Sunday, 4 February 2018), at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting, made the following remarks:

"A few minutes ago, I spoke with Yael, the widow of Rabbi Raziel Shevach. I told her that the entire nation and all members of Cabinet embrace her and the children in their time of grief; I also asked her to hug the children for us.

I told her that our policy is being carried out in two spheres. First, exacting justice. Yesterday our forces were again in action in an effort to apprehend the last of the assassins and their accomplices in the murder of Rabbi Shevach. We will not rest until we bring them to justice. And we will bring them all to justice.

Our second policy guideline is to strengthen settlement. Whoever thinks that through the reprehensible murder of a resident of Havat Gilad, a father of six, that he can break our spirit and weaken us, is making a bitter mistake.

Today, the government will provide for the status of Havat Gilad in order to facilitate orderly life there. For the murderers – exacting justice. To those who sanctify death, we will sanctify life. This is the essence of the government's policy.

Today we will be briefed by the Chief-of-Staff. I have full confidence in the Chief-of-Staff and the IDF. The IDF is the strongest military in the Middle East and this is a good thing because we face many challenges. As I also made it clear to President Trump and afterwards to European leaders and President Putin, our presence here is the main element in the Middle East blocking the spread of radical Islam, led by Iran and Islamic State which also threaten all other elements in the world.

We are not bent on war, but we will do whatever is necessary to defend ourselves."