Jerusalem man charged over alleged murder of Arab man in car-ramming after park brawl

State prosecutors file charges against Eliyahu Shkalim, a 24-year-old Jerusalemite accused of killing an Arab man in a ramming last month after a brawl near a park in the city.

Shkalim is charged with murder and aggravated assault after he fatally rammed Fouad Alian, a resident of Jerusalem’s Beit Safafa neighborhood, after a brawl in San Simon Park that escalated into a vehicle pursuit.

Alian’s family and friends argue the killing was racially motivated. According to lawyers representing the family, the skirmish broke out because Shkalim had threatened Alian and his cousin, telling the two men to leave the West Jerusalem park because they are Arabs.

Lacking footage of the initial argument, state prosecutors decline to add this to their indictment filed at the Jerusalem District Court.

As the hearing takes place, dozens of protesters stand on a sidewalk outside the courthouse with signs reading “Fouad didn’t die, Fouad was murdered,” and similar slogans demanding prison time for the defendant.

הפגנה מול בית המשפט המחוזי בירושלים על הרצח של פואד עליאן תושב בית צפופי על רקע לאומני pic.twitter.com/49809B0LMc

— Avishai Green אבישי גרין أفيشاي چرين (@AvishaiGreen) June 11, 2025

According to the indictment, Shkalim and his cousins had previously encountered Alian, his cousin Bara’a and their friend in the same area two days before the incident. A skirmish broke out between the two groups, leading Alian and his friends to call the police. They soon left the area.

Two days later on the evening of May 22, Alian and his cousin went to sit in the same spot to smoke. Shkalim and his cousins were at the park to train on the exercise equipment.

Shkalim left the park before his two cousins and went to sit in his car, which was parked nearby. His cousins soon ran into the two men from Beit Safafa, which led to another brawl that made its way to the defendant’s car.

Upon noticing Alian and his cousin, Shkalim revved up his car and tried to run them over, but they ducked out of the way, the indictment says. Bara’a then sprayed the car with pepper spray.

The fight then escalated into an auto chase as Fouad and his cousin climbed onto their motorcycle and began to pursue Shkalim in his car. The two passed Shkalim, who had stopped at a red light. Alian hit Shkalim’s car mirror with his hand, and the two drove away.

Prosecutors claim that at this point, the defendant resolved to seriously harm Alian and his cousin, and began to chase the motorcycle.

After a pursuit, Shkalim rammed into the motorcycle. The impact threw the two men from the vehicle, killing Alian on the spot and badly injuring his cousin, who remains hospitalized.

Police arrested Shkalim an hour and a half after the incident. A gag order initially placed on the defendant’s identity was lifted earlier this week.

State prosecutors are requesting Shkalim be held in custody until the end of legal proceedings against him, while the defendant’s lawyers attempt to have him freed to house arrest.

Shkalim’s lawyer Merav Zamir argues Shkalim had been blinded by the pepper spray and could not see the road in front of him when he rammed into the two men.

It is unclear from the indictment whether Shkalim himself was hit with the pepper spray, or just his car.