Police rule out terror link in west bank discovery
An Israeli man in his 40s was found dead near Bethlehem, prompting a criminal investigation into the circumstances.
By Allison Rojas ·
Police confirmed on Monday that the body of an Israeli man in his 40s was located in the Wadi Rahal area near Bethlehem in the West Bank.
The victim is a resident of east Jerusalem. Officers from the Israel Police, forensic experts, and soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces moved to the scene to gather evidence.
The body is scheduled for transfer to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute to establish the cause of death. Initial assessments suggest the incident was a crime rather than a terror attack.
In a separate action on Sunday night, security forces detained three suspects during raids in Bethlehem. Intelligence pointed to a Palestinian man with suspected ties to Hamas and another resident believed to be holding weapons.
Searchers seized a loaded hunting rifle, IDF uniforms, and various technological items. Both men were taken to the Ma'ale Adumim police station. They face charges for carrying illegal weapons and possessing military equipment.
Forces also arrested a man in his 30s near Hebron after finding a hunting rifle and a large quantity of ammunition in his possession.
In Kalansuwa, a majority-Arab city in central Israel, police uncovered a cache of stolen military hardware. The seizure included a Kalashnikov rifle, three M-16 assault rifles, eight handguns, six fragmentation grenades, two stun grenades, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and three tactical vests. Two family members present at the site were arrested. Police said the operation is part of a push to reduce violent crime in Arab sectors.
In Rahat, officers rescued a man found chained to the floor of a home during a weapons search. Preliminary findings indicate his family members shackled his leg, likely due to drug use. His brother was arrested and taken to the local station for questioning.
