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Media Summary

04/01/2015

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The Telegraph online reports that Nashat Melhem, the Arab-Israeli citizen suspected of carrying out a shooting on Friday in the centre of Tel Aviv, which killed two people, remains on the loose. Israeli security forces launched a huge manhunt after Melhem opened fire at a bar and fled the scene. His family have condemned the murders and urged him to turn himself in to Israeli authorities. The two victims of the shooting were buried yesterday. Also yesterday, two shootings occurred in the Hebron region, injuring two Israeli soldiers.

The Telegraph, Times, Guardian, Independent i, Independent, Metro and the online edition of the Financial Times all cover the announcement yesterday that charges have been brought against two Jewish Israeli extremists over an arson attack in July in the Palestinian village of Duma, which killed two Palestinian parents and their toddler son. The attack caused outrage across the Israeli political spectrum and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday told his cabinet that he stands against murder and violence “of any kind.”

The Daily Mail, Independent i and the online editions of the Guardian, Times, Telegraph, Independent and Financial Times all cover the impassioned dispute between Iran and Saudi Arabia, over the Saudi execution of a well-known Shia cleric. Iran’s Supreme Leaders, Ayatollah Khamenei warned of “divine vengeance” while Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called the execution a “message of blood.” Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran, accusing Tehran of supporting terror.

In the Israeli media, Yediot Ahronot, Maariv and Israel Hayom all lead with the ongoing manhunt for Nashat Melhem. Yediot’s front page headline calls the search a “Fiasco,” reflecting on the failure to capture the suspected gunman. Meanwhile, Maariv claims that Tel Aviv is “in panic,” with Melhem still on the loose. Israel Radio news says that the search for Melhem is focused on the Ramat Aviv neighbourhood north of Tel Aviv, while there has also been enhanced police activity in Jaffa.

Meanwhile, the top story in Haaretz, which is also covered prominently in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv and Israel Hayom is the announcement yesterday that 21-year-old Amiram Ben-Uliel, plus an unnamed 17-year-old minor have been charged with the arson attack in Duma. Writing in Maariv, Yossi Melman praises “the detective work in the affair, in cooperation with the Israel Police, was laudable, particularly against the backdrop of the public’‎s incisive criticism.” Meanwhile, Alex Fishman comments in Yediot Ahronot that, “‎The murderer from Dizengoff Street, Nashat Milhem, along with Amiram Ben-Uliel and his fellow suspects in the Duma murder, are two sides of the same coin.”

Israel Radio news reports that two shooting attacks took place yesterday in Hebron in the West Bank. A female soldier was moderately injured in one of the shootings.