Detention of Suspect in Murder of Lawyer Arbel Feldman Extended by 12 Days

The court extended by 12 days the detention of Ahmad al-Rajoub, a 23-year-old resident of Ramla, suspected of fatally shooting lawyer Arbel Feldman in his office in Rishon LeZion over a financial dispute. According to the suspicion, al-Rajoub fired at least four bullets and fled, but later turned himself in. Police claim the incident was premeditated, while the defense attorney raised objections to the conduct of the investigation.

The court extended by 12 days the detention of Ahmad al-Rajoub, a 23-year-old resident of Ramla, suspected of fatally shooting lawyer Arbel Feldman in his office in Rishon LeZion. According to the suspicion, a financial dispute arose between the two, after al-Rajoub demanded that the deceased return 15,000 shekels that he claimed was owed to him. During the meeting, the suspect allegedly drew a gun and fired at least four bullets at Feldman, then fled the scene. On his way, he allegedly discarded the gun, which has not yet been found. Later, he turned himself in to Lahav 433 investigators in Ashdod. During the hearing, a police representative stated that this was a murder, and that al-Rajoub is the main and only suspect. According to him, various investigative actions have been carried out since his arrest, but the suspect remained silent during questioning, only saying that he is "psychiatric." The police also claimed that the suspect arrived at the scene with an unlicensed gun, and therefore, in their view, the act was premeditated. Additionally, the police representative noted that the suspect has no criminal record. The suspect's attorney, Adv. Oren Sasson, raised a series of objections to the conduct of the investigation. He asked whether his client admitted that he came voluntarily to the police station in Ashdod, but the police representative refused to answer. The attorney also questioned why the officers who handcuffed his client during his arrest placed handcuffs on his hands, which he claims prevented the possibility of performing a gunshot residue test. The attorney added that his client is mentally unstable, not diagnosed, but has difficulty controlling his anger, and that he has recordings of conversations between the suspect and the deceased. He also noted that al-Rajoub was previously a candidate for recruitment to the Border Police. Judge Eyal Cohen ruled that at this stage there is reasonable suspicion that al-Rajoub committed the acts attributed to him, and that grounds for detention exist due to dangerousness and fear of obstructing the investigation. Accordingly, he ordered the suspect's detention extended by 12 days.