Grieving Father Of Terror Victim To Meet With Pope

Last night, Naftali Moses, an American Israeli, paced the floor of his home in Efrat, a Bethlehem suburb, where Pope Benedict XVI spent the day.

Today, Mr. Moses will meet the Pope to share his grief over the loss of his son, Avraham David Moses, to the hands of an Arab terrorist.

It has been 14 months since an Arab sprayed more than 500 bullets into the library of Jerusalem’s Rabbi Kook Talmudic Academy, mowing down eight young men while they studied the Talmud.

Avraham David Moses and his learning partner, Segev Avichayil, were studying together when the terrorist entered the library.

The two boys were immersed in learning when their friends yelled to both of them to run for their lives, but they did not run fast enough.

The Arab murdered both boys in cold blood, shooting Avraham David and Segev in the back of their necks to make sure that they were dead.

The assailant was eventually shot to death by a neighbor who heard the shooting in the seminary. Following the murder, the Palestinian Authority (PA) declared the murderer an “honored martyr.”

Mr. Naftali says that he will tell the Pope about his double pain – losing a son, and witnessing the PA, run by Mahmoud Abbas, honor the murderer of his son.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com