World news

Pro-Israel activist Ari Fuld killed in stabbing attack outside mall in Etzion bloc

JTA
Published September 16, 2018

JERUSALEM (JTA) — An Israeli man was killed in a stabbing attack outside a shopping mall near Efrat in the Etzion bloc of the West Bank.

The man killed late Sunday morning by a Palestinian teen was identified as Ari Fuld, 45, a father of four from Efrat. He was a dual American-Israeli citizen.

Fuld, who was assistant director of Standing Together, a non-governmental organization that provides support for Israeli soldiers, chased after his attacker and shot him before falling to the ground.

A civilian bystander also shot at the attacker, identified Khalil Jabarin, 17, from the West Bank village of Yatta near Hebron.

Fuld died at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, after resuscitation efforts failed. His attacker was taken Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus in Jerusalem where he is in moderate condition with multiple gunshot wounds.

Haaretz cited a source close to the Jabarin family as saying that the teen informed his parents that he planned to carry out an attack at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. The family told security forces about their son’s plan but could not find him near the tomb.

Fuld was well known for his social media posts defending Israel and its military. He was scheduled to leave in the coming weeks on a speaking tour in the United States. In addition, he reportedly was about to launch a new Israel advocacy website in English.

In a tweet following the attack, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman wrote that his “heart is with the Etzion Bloc. My condolences to the families of the victim. We will continue to fight terrorism with an iron fist.”