From the Liveblog of
Thursday, July 30, 2026
Man charged with aggravated murder for fatal stabbing of Netanya rabbi
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A 36-year-old man is charged in court today with aggravated murder for the fatal stabbing of a prominent rabbi in Netanya at the start of the month.
The defendant, Binyamin Friedrich, is accused of murdering Rabbi Amos Guetta, a 75-year-old sage who led a yeshiva in the coastal city. The aging rabbi was largely bedridden due to medical issues and lived in a room in the yeshiva until his violent death.
According to the indictment filed in the Central District Court, Friedrich entered the rabbi’s room on the morning of July 1 armed with a knife hidden under his clothes, under the pretense of wanting to pray by the rabbi’s side.
After he murmured a word of prayer, Friedrich allegedly approached the rabbi’s bed, unsheathed his knife and forcefully stabbed the man.
The rabbi’s assistant, who was in the room, noticed what had happened and tried to pry the knife from Friedrich’s hands, but was not able to and was injured in the fight, according to the indictment.
The defendant managed to stab Guetta another three times before fleeing the scene as the rabbi bled out in his bed, prosecutors say.
Friedrich is charged with aggravated murder, aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a knife. Prosecutors request that he remain in custody until the end of legal proceedings.
The Times of Israel Community.