Crime Syndicate Hits Wrong Target in Fatal Shooting at Nazareth Car Wash

Basel Farouni, a 21-year-old resident of Nazareth, was fatally shot in November at a car wash business where he worked. The hit squad, sent by the Hariri crime organization, mistakenly identified Farouni as their intended target, the car wash owner, who was not present at the time. Farouni was holding a hose, which led to the misidentification and his subsequent murder. Another individual was moderately injured in the attack.

Following an intensive investigation led by the Northern District Police under Commander Meir Eliyahu, the police tracked the perpetrators using security camera footage showing two masked gunmen exiting a vehicle and opening fire. Weapons, ski masks, gloves, and a duplicated license plate used by the killers were recovered near the scene.

Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the case. The first, an 18-year-old, was detained when the investigation became public in May. The other two suspects, aged 21 and 33 from Jisr az-Zarqa and Reineh respectively, were already in custody for a separate murder linked to the ongoing violent conflict between crime organizations. The suspects were connected to the getaway vehicle, and their movements were reconstructed from Umm al-Fahm.

The prosecution is set to file charges and request detention until the trial concludes. Deputy Commander Ran Ofir of the Emek region emphasized the police’s firm stance against organized crime, stating, "Our message is clear, anyone involved in serious crime threatening public safety will face a determined, professional, and uncompromising police force. We will continue to pursue criminals everywhere, dismantle their infrastructure, and bring them behind bars."