Ambushed in Jaffa: Rabbi and Gaza War Veteran Brutally Attacked Near His School

A community in Jaffa is in a state of deep distress following a violent assault on a prominent local rabbi on Thursday evening. Rabbi Netanel Avitan, a 51 year old educator at the Shirat Moshe Yeshiva, was targeted while walking toward his car on Yefet Street, a main thoroughfare in the city. The unprovoked attack left the rabbi with facial injuries and has ignited a fierce debate regarding the safety of Jewish residents in the mixed Arab, Jewish city. Authorities are currently investigating the possibility that the assault was a nationalistic crime, as the attacker reportedly shouted curses in Arabic and "Allahu Akbar" before fleeing the scene.

The incident occurred around 7:00 PM as Rabbi Avitan was ending his day at the educational institution. According to witness reports and community leaders, the assailant approached the rabbi without any prior interaction, punching him twice in the face and throwing him to the ground with enough force to shatter his glasses. Magen David Adom paramedics arrived shortly after and evacuated the rabbi to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. Doctors there are treating him for severe facial swelling and head pain. Notably, Rabbi Avitan is an active reservist who only recently returned from the war in Gaza, where he was wounded in action against terrorists.

The executive director of the yeshiva, Moshe Shendovsky, expressed the frustration felt by many in the neighborhood, stating that they want personal security so that Jews can walk around Jaffa freely and without fear. He further called on the municipality to issue an unequivocal condemnation of the violence. Rabbi Eliyahu Mali, the head of the Ma'irim institutions, added that his colleague is a well known figure who has lived in the city for over a decade. Mali described the current atmosphere as a security failure, noting that older residents are now terrified to leave their homes even in the early evening.

Police forces were quickly deployed to the area to conduct searches for the suspect, who remains at large. In an official statement, the police confirmed that they are examining all circumstances surrounding the assault on Yefet Street. Community members have demanded that the government and local law enforcement act with full force to restore order. "Anyone who wanders around and terrorizes residents is a terrorist in every sense," Rabbi Mali stated, emphasizing that it is unacceptable for a Jewish man to be unable to walk freely in the center of the country.