Israeli police arrested the son of a former ultra-Orthodox member of Knesset on Route 44 near Ramla after discovering a loaded handgun in his vehicle, authorities said.
Officers from the Yasam special patrol unit, an elite police force that handles high-risk operations, stopped the vehicle based on intelligence indicating the suspect was traveling through the area while armed. The man, a resident of central Israel in his 40s, is the son of a public figure who previously served in Israel's parliament.
When officers attempted to stop the vehicle near the Nesher factory in the Ramla area, the situation escalated quickly. Police were forced to smash one of the car windows to gain control of the driver, citing concerns about potential escalation or an escape attempt that could endanger other motorists and officers on the scene. After breaking the window, officers extracted the suspect and restrained him on the roadway.
A thorough search of the vehicle revealed a side bag in the passenger compartment. Inside, police found a semi-automatic FN handgun loaded with a magazine containing 9mm ammunition. Initial examination of the weapon showed that its serial number had been filed off or erased, a strong indication that it was smuggled into Israel through border crossings and used by criminal elements without proper licensing. The suspect was arrested at the scene and transferred to the Ramla police station for further questioning.
During a court hearing on extending his detention, police representatives requested that the suspect remain in custody to complete investigative procedures and send the weapon for forensic testing. The suspect's attorneys argued that their client is dealing with difficult life circumstances and a complex mental state.
According to the defense, the suspect has experienced traumatic events in his past and felt genuinely threatened in recent weeks, and therefore did not carry the weapon with intent to initiate violence. The court granted the investigative unit's request and extended the suspect's detention for continued questioning.
Video footage from the scene shows Yasam officers surrounding a white private vehicle stopped on the roadside. The officers open the car doors, extract the suspect from the driver's seat onto the road, and restrain him on the ground until he is secured. In the final portion of the video, one officer displays a black side bag found in the vehicle to the camera, opens the zipper, and reveals the loaded handgun that had been concealed inside.
