Israeli Ambassador Explains to MSNBC Why You Can Shoot Terrorists Wielding Knives

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer battled allegations that the Jewish State is being too forceful against Palestinian terrorists, particularly when asked on MSNBC today if there’s “a middle ground beyond shooting these individuals.”

“When somebody is coming at you with a knife, there is no middle ground. You have to actually take action in order to thwart that attack. Not everybody who has come at different people with knives have been killed, but there have been instances where a guy’s taking a knife and he is going to kill somebody. They say guns kill people. Knives kill people. That’s why you have to take action,” Dermer said.

The ambassador said Israel believes that Secretary of State John Kerry, who’s said this week he’ll go to the Middle East soon to try to east tensions, “wants to do everything he can and we appreciate very much the effort to do everything he can to de-escalate the tension.”

“But what we really need to, if we want to solve this problem long-term, we have to address the issue of incitement within Palestinian society,” Dermer said. “We have to look at what young Palestinian children are learning in their schools, what they’re watching on television and most important, we cannot have a Palestinian society that glorifies murderers and names public squares after killers. That has to stop and the international community can help us getting the Palestinian leadership to stop.”

MSNBC showed the video released by the Israeli government of 13- and 15-year-old Palestinian cousins walking the street brandishing knives and eventually stabbing a 13-year-old Jewish boy on his bike. The Palestinians have claimed that that Israelis killed both attackers — one is alive and in good condition — and have also claimed that there was no reason for Israeli authorities to take them down.

“So these people are running loose with knives and now what are you going to do to stop it? I hope you will roll that for another few seconds because you will actually see when the boy gets shot. Here it is. Watch what happens. He’s taking out a knife now. That’s what’s in that circle. Now he’s running across the street and he’s shot. Now what police officer would not do it in order to protect himself?”