Man shot dead at northern gas station
Police say Ibrahim Abd Elhadi was killed as part of criminal dispute; witness says she was sure at first it was a terror attack: ‘It was a nightmare’
A man in his forties was shot dead Tuesday at a gas station near the entrance to Kibbutz Yifat in the north of the country, in what police described as a dispute between criminals.
The victim was treated by Magen David Adom medics at the scene, but they eventually pronounced him dead.
He was later named as Ibrahim Abd Elhadi from the village of Iksal, south of Nazareth.
According to the anti-violence campaign group The Abraham Initiatives, 52 members of the Arab community have been killed in violent incidents since the start of the year. The watchdog said 48 of them were killed by gunfire.
A soldier whose name was given only as Liron told the Ynet news site that she witnessed the shooting, which she at first assumed was a terror attack.
“We were sitting in the most peaceful place in the world, in a cafe in Yifat, and then suddenly I heard four or five shots,” she said. “We were sure it was an attack. Someone came out of the cafe with a gun and we quickly ran inside and hid in the kitchen. It was a nightmare.”
Arab communities have seen a wave of violence in recent years. Many blame the police, who they say have failed to crack down on powerful criminal organizations and largely ignore the violence, which includes family feuds, mafia turf wars and violence against women.
In a particularly shocking incident, 14-year-old Mohammed Abu Huwash was shot dead in the southern town of Rahat on Saturday. According to police, he was shot during a fight. Reports said that in addition, a 17-year-old was lightly to moderately injured and hospitalized for treatment.
The Times of Israel Community.