Suspect in blast at Health Ministry office in Nazareth reportedly arrested in Morocco

A man suspected of planting a bomb that exploded at a Health Ministry office in the northern city of Nazareth in November 2021 has reportedly been arrested in Morocco, where he awaits a decision on an extradition request filed by Israel.

Nassim Kalibat was arrested in January, apparently over the Nazareth incident, the Walla news site reported on Sunday.

Kalibat’s brother-in-law, Ja’afar Fakhoury, and brother, Ali Kalibat, were arrested in Israel in March 2022 for their alleged role as accomplices in the explosion, following a joint investigation of the police and Shin Bet security service.

Kalibat reportedly fled Israel the day after his brother-in-law was arrested.

The three were allegedly involved in planting an explosive device at the Nazareth office and then detonating it remotely, causing damage but no injuries.

Security officials initially suspected that the explosion was related to threats against senior health officials over their support at the time for child vaccinations against COVID. They also did not rule out a terror motive, leading to the involvement of the Shin Bet in the investigation.

But the indictments later filed against Kalibat’s relatives alleged that they had been hired by a criminal organization that sought to intimidate and deter the Health Ministry from interfering in its food-related businesses.

The Justice Ministry submitted an extradition request for Kalibat in February, according to Walla. A local Moroccan judge reportedly approved the extradition request, but it has yet to be signed by the country’s Justice Ministry.

Israel does not currently have an extradition agreement with Morocco, and this is the first extradition request Jerusalem has made of the North African kingdom since they restored diplomatic ties some three years ago.

Morocco and Israel inked a normalization agreement establishing full diplomatic relations in December 2020 under the Abraham Accords.