BICOM

Police are investigating the death of a construction worker as a murder, it was revealed this week.

Netanel Arami, a 26-year-old who ran a rappelling company, fell to his death from the 11th floor of a new building in Petah Tikva two weeks ago.

Initially, Mr Arami’s death was reported as a workplace accident, but investigators found that his rappelling rope appeared to have been deliberately cut. According to media reports, the only other people present at the building site were Palestinian construction workers from the West Bank, leading investigators to consider that this could be a nationalistic murder.

The initial investigation into Mr Arami’s death took place under reporting restrictions which were lifted this week.

Last night, a march through Mr Arami’s hometown of Bat Yam criticised the police investigation and demanded “harsh” punishments against his murderers. The rally was attended by members of the Knesset.

The alleged murder has added to Arab-Jewish tensions in Israel which remain high following the murders of the three Israeli teenagers in June. In an attempt to calm nerves and combat prejudice, Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin released a powerful viral video this week targeting violence, hostility, bullying, and racism.