Police arrest 11 in Shefa-‘Amr after armed wedding videos spread online

Israeli police raided homes in Shefa-‘Amr overnight Monday and arrested 11 suspects after videos circulated on social media showing armed men at a wedding. Among those detained were the newly married groom and the owner of the event hall where the celebration took place.

The investigation began Monday evening, immediately after police saw the footage, which drew wide public attention in Arab society. The clips showed several guests openly carrying weapons while accompanying the groom during the festivities at the wedding hall. Police then launched rapid investigative steps to identify those involved and locate the venue.

Within hours, large police forces moved in overnight and arrested the suspects at their homes in Shefa-‘Amr. All 11 were taken for intensive questioning at the local police station. Police said that later on Tuesday morning, three of the central suspects are expected to be brought to court, where investigators will seek to extend their detention.

The arrests come against the backdrop of a long-running blood feud in Shefa-‘Amr between the Khaldi and Suad families, a conflict in which more than 30 people have been killed, most of them because of family affiliation. In one case, a bystander was also murdered. According to the report, a senior figure from the Suad group attended the wedding, and the armed men arrived with him.