Israeli Police Charge Three in Fatal Car Wash Shooting Linked to Crime Feud

Three members of the Hariri crime organization’s assassination cell are charged with the murder of Basel Fraoni in Nazareth last year. Fraoni was mistakenly identified as the car wash owner and shot dead on November 22, 2023, during a violent feud between the Hariri and Bakri crime groups. The actual target, the car wash owner, was not present at the scene.

The suspects include a 21-year-old from Jisr az-Zarqa, a 33-year-old from Reineh, and an 18-year-old minor whose identity remains confidential. The minor was first arrested on May 11, 2024, leading to the capture of the other two suspects, who were already detained for a separate murder case involving a 15-year-old victim in Nazareth.

Police investigations revealed that Fraoni was holding a washing hose when the assassins, arriving in a vehicle with a duplicated license plate, entered the car wash and opened fire. Surveillance footage and recovered evidence, including weapons and disguises found a few hundred meters from the scene, helped link the suspects to the crime. The suspects traveled from Umm al-Fahm to Nazareth for the killing and then returned.

Northern District Police Commander Ran Ofir stated that this case is part of a broader crackdown on crime organizations in the region, led by District Commander Meir Eliyahu and under Police Commissioner Danny Levi’s directive. The police have intensified efforts over the past year, resulting in arrests, case resolutions, and prosecutions of major criminals and operatives.