Close-ups of the corpse of Neshat Melhem, the Dizengoff Street terrorist, which appeared again and again on all three of Israel’s TV stations Jan. 8, were just the tip of the iceberg in what can only be described as an assassination festival, celebrating the death of a terrorist. It was the kind of festival that lasts all weekend and into the next week.
The bullet-riddled body was sprawled across the yard of the terrorist’s home in the village of Arara, in Wadi Ara. Pictures of it appeared alongside photos of Melhem’s hideout, complete with cigarette butts, bottles of cheap juice, used coffee cups and dirty dishes. There was an endless stream of reports from the scene, too, which helped frame what had happened into a laudatory picture, celebrating the triumph of good over evil.
