Israeli Arab Teen Stabbed to Death in Latest Violent Incident in Community

A 17-year-old Israeli Arab was stabbed to death in central Israel on Thursday in what was the second suspected murder in Jisr al-Zarqa in as many months. The victim, Jabari Atyia Amash was rushed to the hospital with severe upper chest wounds and was pronounced dead soon after.

Police have arrested a 35-year-old man for his suspected role in the incident. Some 11 Israeli Arab have been murdered this year as a result of violent crimes.

Amash's neighbor and local community activist Sami Ali told Haaretz that the victim and suspect are neighbors and that "an argument between the two deteriorated into a fight."

"The outpour of crime in this community has taken the life of a sweet boy beloved by everyone. Just a nice kid who dreamed of living a simple and calm life in safety," Ali said, calling Amash's death a "watershed moment" for the community. "We must break the silence and rise up against the violent crime that threatens our kids."

During their Friday services, mosques in Jisr al-Zarqa addressed the incident and the rise in violent crime within Israel's Arab community. Only on Thursday, a 17-year-old teen from Umm al-Fahm was formally accused of murdering a 19-year-old during a stabbing that took place two weeks ago.

At the beginning of the week, Hakhmat Amar, a prominent businessman from Kfar Qasem, was shot dead – only two weeks after his brother Ali Mustafa Amar and his son Ala were also murdered. Their shooting came a mere 24-hour after that of Jaffa resident Moataz Masri.