Israeli-Arab mayor attends terrorist’s funeral, questions whether attack was terrorism

Mayor of Israeli-Arab city where terrorist ambushed two police officers attends terrorist’s funeral, casts doubt on whether shooting was terror attack.

By World Israel News Staff

The mayor of the Israeli-Arab city where a terrorist gunman lured two police officers into an ambush attended the terrorist’s funeral, and cast doubt on whether the attack constituted an act of terrorism.

Adel Badir, mayor the city of Kafr Qasim in central Israel, attended the funeral of Naim Mahmoud Badir Saturday night, questioning whether the combination ramming, shooting, and firebombing attack was indeed terrorism.

Only a few dozen people took part in the funeral, which was carried out in coordination with police, who limited the number of attendees.

A day before the funeral, Mayor Adel Badir praised the police, but also raised doubts on the claims by Israeli authorities that the attack was terrorist in nature.

“It was a very difficult night for Kafr Qasim; police officers were wounded and a resident is dead. It is a very difficult outcome and a difficult event.”

“The police do good work in Kafr Qasim. We trust that the experts will investigate what led to this terrible event, during which there was an attempt to shoot or violence against police.”

“We need to wait for a motive, we will wait for the experts,” said Mayor Badir. “The boy had no ties to anyone else who could have been involved. Weapons in the Arab sector threaten everyone; this week we even saw it against a two-year-old boy. In the past, we’ve seen elderly people in their 80s and 90s targeted, and even pregnant women.”

“Guns in the Arab sector are a problem and that is what I am dealing with as mayor, as are the police.”

“We are cooperating fully with the police.”

Late Thursday night, 23-year-old Naim Mahmoud Badir ambushed police officers after he called in a false report to police, calling for assistance.

Badir rammed his vehicle into a group of three officers, then opened fire and threw firebombs at the officers.

Police responded with gunfire, fatally wounding Badir.

Badir’s family denied the incident was a terrorist attack.

“The state needs to wake up instead of constantly blaming Arab society,” a resident of the city told Hebrew-language new site N12.

“Our son did not plan to carry out any attack,” the family said, according to N12. “This is a false version of the police in order to cover up their failures in dealing with crime in Arab society.”

“The police murdered our son in cold blood. There is no attack here,” they said.

“The district commander stated that it was an attack, there is no other version,” police stated in response.

“The officers acted in a determined manner as is expected in such an event from our officers,” said Superintendent Avi Biton, commander of the Central District of the District Police.