Three people were killed in separate attacks across Israel between 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, including the fatal stabbing of a well-known rabbi in Netanya, the deadly shooting of a bus driver in Shefa-Arm and the fatal shooting of a young man near Yagur.
In Netanya, Rabbi Amos Guetta, 75, was fatally stabbed inside a synagogue. Police later arrested a Netanya resident in his 20s on suspicion of murder.
Investigators said the suspect was a regular visitor to the rabbi’s yeshiva, where Guetta was known for his extensive work on behalf of people in need. A preliminary investigation found that the suspect went to the rabbi’s home, stabbed him, and fled the scene.
Police said the suspect had arrived asking to pray with the rabbi. At some point, an argument broke out between the two, during which investigators believe the suspect ran toward Guetta and stabbed him several times before fleeing. Initial police assessments indicate the suspect may be mentally unstable.
In Shefa-Amr, 24-year-old bus driver Ali Suweid was shot to death in a parking lot while on his way to work. Magen David Adom medical teams pronounced him dead at the scene. Police suspect the killing is connected to an ongoing violent feud between two local families.
Near Yagur, 21-year-old Amil Abu Kalib of Basmat Tab’un was shot to death inside his vehicle in the parking lot of a shopping complex. Police and media reports said the shooting is linked to an ongoing conflict between rival criminal organizations.
The Yagur killing is suspected to have been carried out in retaliation for a fatal shooting that took place Tuesday in Haifa as part of a dispute involving Arab crime families.
Police continued investigating all three killings Wednesday. Authorities have taken one suspect into custody in the Netanya case, while the shootings in Shefa-Amr and near Yagur remain under investigation as detectives examine suspected links to ongoing criminal disputes.
