Father Murdered in Stabbing Attack

Arutz Sheva

Ari Fuld, a 40-year-old resident of Efrat and father of four, was murdered in a stabbing attack near the shopping center at the Gush Etzion Junction Sunday.

MDA medics administered first aid and evacuated him to Shaare Tzedek hospital in Jerusalem. According to the hospital, the victim was connected to a respirator, was sedated and in critical condition.

Later, however, his death was confirmed.

The terrorist, a 17-year-old from the village of Yatta near Hevron, was shot and neutralized, and was moderately wounded.

Before his death, the murdered man managed to shoot the terrorist, who was also shot by another civilian and a security guard.

An American-born immigrant to Israel, Fuld was a dual citizen of both the US and Israel.

US Ambassador David Friedman condemned the attack and tweeted that Fuld is an American citizen, “a passionate defender of Israel and an American patriot…he represented the best of both countries and will be deeply missed.”

Lior Shurka, a friend of the victim, told the TPS news agency: “Ari [meaning ‘lion’ in Hebrew] was like his name implied. He was very involved in explaining and defending the good reputation of the State of Israel on the Internet and before the citizens of the world.”

“Ari was about to have launched a new Hasbara site [to reveal truth about Israel] in English. He was a good friend who you knew would stand by you and protect you in any situation.

“A lowly terrorist came up behind him, and in a cowardly way stabbed him. Ari was one of the fighters in the Efrat emergency squad. We didn’t expect anything less of him. Even after he was wounded, Ari engaged with the terrorist and chased him as he was bleeding, and managed to respond and shoot at the terrorist.”

“We are confident that his death will not be in vain, and his activity will grow and intensify. We expect the government to immediately demolish the house of the terrorist and expel his family to the Gaza Strip as soon as possible,” Shurka added.

“Ari (Lion) for Israel. Ari was an active IDF Seargent in an elite IDF paratrooper unit but was more we’ll know for being a vocal Israel advocate,” another friend wrote on social media.

Fuld will be laid to rest at the Kfar Etzion cemetery Sunday night at 11:30 p.m. He is survived by his wife, Miriam, and his children Yakir, Naomi, Natan, and Tamar.

A fund has been set up to help the Fuld family during this difficult time. Click here to donate now.

Video: Ari Fuld, activist