64-year-old teacher shot in front of family, 20-year-old missing: "We fear he was kidnapped"
While the murder rate in Arab localities has recently declined, violent incidents persist. A teacher was seriously wounded in a shooting in Jatt, and the family of 20-year-old Sharif Taher from Shefa-'Amr is searching for him after his car was found burned.
Despite a recent significant decrease in the number of murders in Arab localities, severe violent incidents continue. Over 27 days, three people were murdered in the Arab society—a notably lower figure compared to previous periods when one or two murders were recorded almost daily.
However, two recent incidents have caused alarm: a teacher was shot in the yard of his home in Jatt in the Triangle, and in Shefa-'Amr, the family of a 20-year-old man is searching for him after his vehicle was discovered burned.
On Saturday evening, a 64-year-old teacher was shot while sitting in his yard in Jatt with his sister and a relative. Two masked men on a motorcycle fired six bullets at him. He was evacuated to Hillel Yaffe Hospital in Hadera in serious condition, which has since improved to moderate. His relatives described him as a respected member of the community and expressed confusion over the motive.
"This is a cowardly act that almost cost the life of a teacher shot in front of his family," they said. "He is known for his good character and positive reputation. Unfortunately, shooting has become a phenomenon that harms innocent people." Police have opened an investigation, though no arrests have been reported.
Simultaneously, concerns are growing for 20-year-old Sharif Taher from Shefa-'Amr, who has been missing for several days. His vehicle was found burned on Friday night in a wooded area near I'illut. His family states there is no indication he left voluntarily or due to family conflict. They noted that over six months ago, Taher's brother-in-law, Yazan Qadri, was also shot to death in his home.
"We fear he was kidnapped and perhaps murdered," the family said. "We are critical of the authorities; the searches are not extensive enough. If the missing person were a Jew, we would see helicopters and war rooms. We have searched everywhere without success." The police responded that they have issued a missing person notice and are actively investigating all leads.
