Bedouin woman stabbed to death in southern Israel in 'honor killing'

A Bedouin mother of four from Kuseife was stabbed to death on Saturday night, with her brother arrested after he confessed to murdering her in a suspected "honor killing."

The victim, identified as Azhar Abu Rabia, 26, was found in a vehicle with stab wounds on Saturday night. Her brother was arrested after he confessed to the crime and said that he "slaughtered her," reportedly because he suspected her of cheating on her husband.

The brother will be brought to a hearing to have his arrest extended on Sunday.

There were no complaints of violence prior to the suspected murder. 

Anita Friedman, head of the Women's International Zionist Organization said of the murder: "We woke up this morning to terrible news about the tenth murder of a woman at the hands of her family in three and a half months. It seems that each murder is more shocking than the previous one."

"Who will protect us?" she continued. "The test of reality proves that our security as women has been abandoned. Despite repeated promises of action and budgets, and despite statements and plans, there is no real fight against violence in general and domestic violence in particular."

40 Arabs killed in crimes and acts of violence in Israel in 2023

Since the beginning of the year, 49 Arabs have been killed in incidents of crime and violence in Israel, including 45 who were Israeli citizens, according to the Abraham Initiatives. Abu Radia was the second Israeli Arab woman to be murdered this year.

On Saturday morning, an 11-year-old named Muhammad Salama Abu Huash was murdered and a 17-year-old was injured in a shooting in Rahat. On Saturday night, an Israeli Arab from Shfaram was shot and killed in Kiryat Haim.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir spoke with Israel Police chief Kobi Shabtai on Sunday morning concerning the string of murders in the Arab sector, with the two agreeing that police will work immediately to prepare plans to combat violence in the Arab sector after the national budget is approved.

The two also agreed to increase the number of police officers in Rahat.

"The incidents of murder in the sector are painful and require a radical treatment of crime in the sector," said Ben-Gvir. "The lack of governance is the definition of the problem, and therefore we need a strong national guard as soon as possible, which, together with the addition of thousands of police officers and the salaries we agreed on in the budget, will provide significant power to deal with the problem."