Exclusive: How a youth hostel counselor became an arms dealer

An investigation by Lahav 433 that began with an unexploded bomb in Qalansawe led to the exposure of a weapons trafficking network between Israel and the West Bank. At the center of the affair: a 24-year-old with no criminal record, who worked as a counselor at a youth hostel, and was exposed due to a fingerprint on the bomb and photos of an arsenal in a locked folder on his phone.

An investigation by the Lahav 433 unit, which began with an unexploded bomb found in Qalansawe in November 2025, led to the exposure of a network for holding weapons and trading in arms that connected suspects in Israel and the West Bank. At the center of the investigation stands Muhammad Abu Ras, a 24-year-old with no criminal record, who worked as a counselor at a hostel for at-risk youth in the Netanya area. A fingerprint found on the bomb led to him. Investigators staged an incident with a suspicious box on the fence of the compound where he worked, and Abu Ras immediately identified it as an explosive device and described its internal components, leading to his arrest. He denied the allegations, but on his mobile phone a locked folder was found containing photos of an arsenal of weapons, including pistols, weapons attributed to terrorist organizations, and a LAW missile. Some of the photos were taken on land belonging to his family. Using forensic technology, a fingerprint was extracted from the hand in the photo, which was linked to Abu Ras. Analysis of the phone revealed correspondence with two Israelis and another suspect from the West Bank. An undercover police officer conducted a weapons deal and purchased a pistol and an M16 rifle. In August 2026, police forces raided a compound in Qalansawe, locating weapons, ammunition, and six illegal residents. The main suspect from the West Bank attempted to flee.