Haifa Falafel Vendor, 76, Assaulted En Route to Work; Two Suspects Arrested
A 76-year-old Haifa falafel stand owner was assaulted while walking to work on Saturday. Police arrested two suspects and stated the attack had no nationalist motive.
George Abu Shakara, a 76-year-old owner of a renowned falafel stand in the Wadi Nisnas neighborhood of Haifa, was assaulted and injured Saturday morning while on his way to work. Haifa police launched an investigation into the incident and arrested two suspects.
According to Abu Shakara, two men in their 30s chased him down near his business and beat him with a stick after he fell to the ground, continuing to strike him with their hands and feet. He was treated at Rambam Health Care Campus and later discharged, though he sustained injuries that prevent him from walking properly and working. "I woke up in the morning and went to work as usual. I encountered two guys and didn't speak to them at all," he recounted. "When I passed by them, one of them called out to me. When I didn't answer, they both chased me and caught up near my business."
Abu Shakara emphasized that he did not know the attackers and that they made no demands for money or valuables. Despite local residents suggesting a possible nationalist motive, police stated that the investigation and the victim's testimony indicate the incident was not nationally motivated. Family members have stepped in to operate the family-run falafel stand while Abu Shakara recovers at home.
