Haiti President Jovenel Moïse assassinated at home

President Jovenal Moise was assassinated at home overnight. The First Lady has been hospitalized.

By Associated Press and World Israel News Staff

Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated after a group of unidentified people attacked his private residence, the country’s interim prime minister said in a statement Wednesday.

Moïse’s wife, First Lady Martine Moïse, is hospitalized, interim Premier Claude Joseph said.

Joseph condemned what he called a “hateful, inhumane and barbaric act,” adding that Haiti’s National Police and other authorities had the situation in the Caribbean country under control.

The killing late Tuesday comes amid deepening political and economic stability and a spike in gang violence.

Haiti recognized the State of Israel in 1949. Israel has an honorary consulate in its capital of Port-au-Prince.

In 1947, Haiti voted in favor of the UN partition of Palestine that helped create the state of Israel. The Caribbean country had its embassy in Jerusalem until 1980, following UN Security Council Resolution 478.

Over the years, Israel has led outstanding aid missions to Haiti, such as in 2010, when the IDF responded to a devastating earthquake that killed more than 300,000 people and left nearly a million more homeless and without food, water or shelter.