The Palestinian terrorist’s family members are reportedly being hidden by Islamic jihadists.
By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News
Fathi Hazem, the father of Palestinian terrorist Ra’ed Hazem, has evaded numerous arrest attempts by Israeli security forces and is reportedly being hidden and protected by members of the Islamic Jihad terror group.
In the aftermath of Ra’ed Hazem’s brutal shooting attack in Tel Aviv last week, which left three people dead and several wounded, Israeli security forces have been attempting to arrest members of his family but have so far not succeeded.
A source told Ynet that Fathi Hazem, who was once a high-ranking member of the Palestinian Authority’s internal security forces and had been reponsible for maintaining law and order in the city of Nablus (Shechem), was known to hold extreme views.
The source said that Hazem was vocally opposed to the anti-terror cooperation in place between the PA and Israel. He also had a reputation as an “unstable person” who was often “in conflict” with his colleagues.
Hazem — who spoke to the press at the family home immediately after the news broke about his son’s act of terror and subsequent death during a shootout with Israeli security forces — was reportedly estranged from his family for a number of years.
“He never showed any interest in his family or his children,” the source said. “He never cared whether or not they studied and did not support them financially or care if they married.”
The source added that he did not live in the family home in Jenin with his wife and children.
Ra’ed Hazem reportedly owed large sums of money to criminal elements in Jenin and was even shot in the leg for failing to repay his debts.
He was also unmarried at the age of 28, which is unusual in Palestinian society, which could suggest that his family had serious financial issues or a bad reputation.
An attempt earlier this week to arrest Hazem’s brother ended in a wild vehicle pursuit throughout the streets of Jenin, which saw the car Hazem was riding in shot multiple times by Israeli forces.
Despite striking the vehicle, Hazem was able to escape. Shot in the hip but not seriously wounded, he was treated at a local hospital and released several hours later.
IDF sources downplayed the failure to apprehend Hazem’s family members to Ynet, stating that Israeli security forces do not view them as “ticking time bombs.”