Man seriously hurt in car blast in south; police nab 3 suspects
Police say attack motivated by criminal dispute; semiconscious victim taken to hospital in Ashdod
Michael Horovitz is a breaking news editor at The Times of Israel
A man was seriously injured in a car bombing in the southern city of Kiryat Malachi Monday, police and medics said.
The Israel Police said in a statement that it arrested three suspects in their 20s for attempted murder over the explosion, which was determined to be part of a criminal dispute. It said the victim was the member of a minority group, indicating he was an Arab Israeli.
United Hatzalah medics arrived on the scene and provided initial treatment to the man, in his 40s, according to a statement by the rescue service.
Magen David Adom ambulance service paramedics then provided further treatment and took the man, who had multiple wounds and was semiconscious, to Assuta Medical Center in Ashdod.
The Kiryat Malachi municipality said in a statement that the explosion occurred near two schools and that all students were safe and their classes continued.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir entered office in late 2022 vowing to crack down on such crime, but homicides have continued unabated, with 174 members of the Arab community killed in violent crimes since the start of this year, according to the Abraham Initiatives nonprofit.
Many Arab Israeli leaders say police have failed to curb powerful criminal organizations and largely ignore the violence in their community, which includes family feuds, mafia turf wars, and attacks against women.
Nearly two weeks ago, four people were killed in a car bomb in the city of Ramle, an incident that was also linked to a criminal feud.
