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On anniversary, Dauphin County parents hold terrorists accountable for son’s murder

A Dauphin County mom and dad are holding Hamas terrorists accountable for their son’s death.  Their son died 12 years ago today.  They say there are lesso...

A Dauphin County mom and dad are holding Hamas terrorists accountable for their son’s death.  Their son died 12 years ago today.  They say there are lessons to be learned from their tragedy, as the conflict grows in the Middle East.

“I’m where I want to be and I’m happier then I’ve ever been before.  That’s what you want for your children.”  That’s what Dr. Katherine Baker says her 25-year-old son Benjamin Blutstein told her over a decade ago, before he died.

She says, “A Hamas terrorist cell planted a bomb in the cafe and he was killed.”

Ben was living in Israel and learning to be a teacher at Hebrew University, in Jerusalem.

Katherine says, “Both his hip hop music and his studying tradition both helped him to make the world a better place.”

Ben’s passions were taken from him and his parents are holding terrorists accountable.

Dr. Richard Blutstein says, “The Israeli lawyers have evidence from Israeli Intelligence that the Palestinian Authority did provide Hamas cell and logistical support before and after they killed Ben.”

In January, Richard, Katherine and the other families of victims will face the killers for the first time in Federal Court.  The families filed a lawsuit against the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority.

Katherine says she hopes to “Set up some form of a foundation that would support what our son would have done, support education, support ideas of tolerance and pluralism and understanding.”

Something to learn from, as hostilities escalate overseas, 12 years later.

“There’s tremendous hurt on both sides, suffering, but something has to stop the terrorists,” says Katherine.

The family will observe Ben’s passing on August 23rd, according to the Jewish calendar.  Every July since the bombing, Hebrew University holds a ceremony to pay tribute to the victims.

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