Lubavitcher Murdered in Cold Blood in Ramle, Suspect Sent Free

Last week, Rabbi Refael Mizrachi, a Lubavitcher from Ramle was ruthlessly murdered by his Arab neighbor who has been sent home scott-free without an investigation or trial.

This past Friday night, a horrifying incident took place in Ramla, raising concerns among the local Jewish community. Rabbi Refael Mizrachi, a 60-year-old Lubavitcher, called the police reporting that his Arab neighbor had assaulted and injured him. Now, his family was notified that the neighbor was released, and is not being held custody for the murderous crime.

When the police and medical teams arrived at the scene after receiving the call for help, they found Rabbi Mizrachi bleeding profusely. Tragically, he collapsed in the ambulance and passed away shortly after. A few hours later, the police arrested the Arab neighbor, who has a criminal record, stating the incident appeared to be a neighborhood dispute. The suspect was brought before a judge, and the police requested to extend his detention on suspicion of negligent homicide. Meanwhile, Rabbi Mizrachi’s body was sent for an autopsy at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute.

The suspect claimed that he was sitting on the stairs smoking when a drink was spilled on him from above. He said he went upstairs to Rabbi Mizrachi’s apartment, knocked on the door, and was met by Rabbi Mizrachi, who allegedly brandished a sharp object and threw a scooter at him. The suspect asserted that he fled back to his apartment, called the police, and locked himself inside, denying that he had attacked.

However, several circumstances cast doubt on the suspect’s version of events. Rabbi Mizrachi had been in poor health, relying on a cane, and for the past six months, his son had been caring for him in his own home. He had only returned to his apartment two weeks earlier.

“How could my father hold a sharp object or throw a scooter? When he held a cup of coffee, his hand trembled, and he could barely walk,” Rabbi Mizrachi’s son told Kol Yehudi. Bloodstains were found on the stairs leading to his apartment, and stab wounds were discovered on his body, further complicating the suspect’s story.

Family members added that he had mentioned several times that his Arab neighbors were harassing him for anti-Semitic reasons, spitting at him and calling him derogatory names. Kol Yehudi‘s investigation also revealed that the suspect had a criminal history, including a serious extortion offense for which he had served a year in prison.

During the court hearing, the police noted discrepancies between the suspect’s initial report and his later statements during interrogation. As a result, the court extended his detention until Wednesday, however, the Mizrachi family was shocked when they arrived at the courthouse to discover that the police had decided to release the neighbor without a hearing and without imposing any restrictions. “How can they release him so quickly, and without a hearing? The police are even suggesting that maybe my father stabbed himself—does that make any sense?” they told Kol Yehudi in disbelief.

Initially, the police stated that the suspect had been released due to a court decision. When Kol Yehudi pointed out that the court had not ordered his release, the police revised their response, stating, “The police arrested a suspect near the tragic event and investigated the circumstances of the death. The suspect was released under conditions after reviewing the investigative purpose, with a focus on the professional opinion received from the forensic medicine institute.”

This incident has raised numerous questions and concerns, particularly among the Jewish community in Ramla, who fear that an anti-Semitic crime may be being downplayed or silenced. The discrepancies in the investigation, the suspect’s criminal history, and the decision to release him so quickly have left the Mizrachi family and many others demanding further scrutiny and justice.