Murder of Ari Fuld

Murder of Ari Fuld
Location31°38′43.287″N 35°7′49.874″E / 31.64535750°N 35.13052056°E / 31.64535750; 35.13052056
Harim mall, Gush Etzion Junction, West Bank, Palestine
DateSeptember 16, 2018 (2018-09-16)
Weaponknife
Deaths1
Injured1 (perpetrator)
VictimAri Fuld
PerpetratorKhalil Jabarin
Convictionsintentionally causing death

Ari Fuld (Hebrew: ארי פולד), an American-Israeli was stabbed to death by Palestinian Khalil Jabarin at the Gush Etzion Junction in the West Bank on 16 September 2018.[1][2] Born in New York, Fuld immigrated to Israel in 1994 where he lived in the Israeli settlement of Efrat in the West Bank. He advocated for Israel on social media and worked for an organization supporting Israel Defense Forces soldiers. Jabarin was sentenced to life imprisonment and scheduled to be released during a prisoner exchange during the Gaza war. In June 2025, the US Supreme Court decided Fuld v. Palestine Liberation Organization, finding unanimously that Israeli victims of terrorism can sue the Palestinian Authority.

Background

Born in 1972 or 1973, Fuld was originally from Queens, New York.[3][4][5] He and his brothers attended Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy, an Orthodox school in the Bronx where his father was the principal.[4] He graduated from Yeshiva University High School in 1991[6] and immigrated to Israel in 1994.[3] A Holocaust survivor's grandson, Fuld served in an elite unit in the Israeli paratroopers.[3] According to his father, he was a heavy machine gunner.[7] He chose to remain in the reserves after he had completed his required time there.[8] While serving in the 2006 Lebanon War, he suffered minor shrapnel injuries.[7][9][10] He was a fourth-degree black belt in tora dojo, a form of karate developed by American Jews, which he also taught.[11][3][8]

The married father of four lived in the Israeli settlement of Efrat in the West Bank,[4][3] where he served as a member of the security team.[12] Known on social media for his advocacy for Israel and Israeli settlements in the West Bank,[13][14] he was occasionally suspended from Facebook for his comments in online discussions.[15][8] He was also a host on "Frenemies", an ILTV show.[14][4][10] Fuld worked for Standing Together, an organization that supports Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers, and was known to organize care packages for soldiers fighting in Gaza.[14][4] He was a member of The Jewish Home, a right-wing, religious Zionist party.[14][13] One of his brothers, Hillel, is a tech influencer and pro-Israel advocate.[16][3] Another brother, Eytan, is Bezalel Smotrich's spokesperson.[17][14]

Killing

On 16 September 2018, 17-year-old Palestinian Khalil Yusef Ali Jabarin went to the Harim mall at the Gush Etzion Junction near the Kfar Etzion settlement in the West Bank.[18][13][19] The shopping mall was open to both Palestinian and Israeli customers.[9][19] According to a mall employee, he bought falafel from her. Security footage shows Jabarin waiting behind Fuld for a minute[5] before stabbing him in the back.[20][18] Next, Fuld chased Jabarin, jumping over a small wall, and his legs buckled.[18][19] After righting himself, Fuld pulled his gun and shot Jabarin before collapsing.[21] Another Israeli civilian also shot Jabarin.[22] Paramedics took Fuld to Shaare Zedek Medical Center where he was pronounced dead;[19][22] Jabarin was taken to Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus and survived.[22] Fuld was credited with possibly saving the life of the mall employee. The employee said that Jabarin had run at her with his knife drawn and that Fuld is "not just a hero. He gave his life for me."[18] Fuld was one of dozens of Israelis killed in stabbings, shootings and car-rammings, by Palestinians or Israeli Arabs since late 2015. According to the Israeli government, most of the more than 260 Palestinians killed by Israelis in the same period were killed while attempting to attack Israelis.[23][24]

Reactions

Fuld had a large social media following. After his murder, a crowdfunding campaign by his family raised over $1 million.[23] Thousands of people attended Fuld's funeral in Kfar Etzion. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Fuld's family before the funeral and later tweeted, "I embraced [the family] in the name of the entire nation in this time of terrible grief. We are alive thanks to heroes like Ari. We will remember him forever."[25][9] Retired British army officer Richard Kemp said that Fuld was "a soldier to the last".[14] U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman attended Fuld's funeral and tweeted that "America grieves as one of its citizens was brutally murdered by a Palestinian terrorist."[23] Fuld was also eulogized by Dov Lipman,[10] the The Jewish Home party,[13] and former IDF spokesperson Peter Lerner.[26]

Jabarin's father told ABC News that he believed he would be fired from his job in Israel. He stated that "If I knew my son was planning this I would have tied him up with a rope at home and prevented him from leaving."[27] Shortly after the attack, Jabarin's mother reported that she had informed Palestinian and Israeli security forces that Jabarin planned to carry out an attack but that Palestinian police were unable to locate him. The IDF confirmed her statement but said that the attack happened shortly after she had spoken to them.[13] Later in court, it was reported that she came to the checkpoint searching for her son and that she did not inform the soldier why.[28] A spokesman for Hamas praised the killing as a "natural response to Israeli crimes against Palestinians".[23] The mayor of Yatta, Jabarin's hometown in the West Bank, called for an end to violence on all sides. He stated that the Israeli government "incites" attacks and is "pushing the Palestinian people everywhere".[28]

The Palestinian Authority (PA) denied a report from an Israeli outlet that it had paid Jabarin's family soon after Fuld's death. The PA stated that Jabarin's family could apply for financial support from the Palestinian Authority Martyrs Fund during Jabarin's imprisonment.[29][27] Such payments, given to the families of Palestinians imprisoned or killed by Israel, are criticized by many Israelis as "pay to slay" incentives for Palestinians to attack Israelis.[27][29] PA official Nabil Shaath characterized the payments as welfare and support for victims of Israeli violence.[27] David Friedman criticized the payments as a misuse of American taxpayer funds "to fund stipends to terrorists and their families".[29] In July 2018, the Israeli government had passed a law intended to prevent these payments by confiscating tax money it collected on behalf of the PA.[27]

Trial

The day after Fuld's murder, IDF soldiers raided the Jabarin home to map out the building and prepare it for demolition.[27][30] They also detained Jabarin's brother.[27] The IDF released a statement that they will destroy the Jabarins' home in order "to act determinedly to prevent terror attacks and to deter terrorists".[31] The practice has been criticized as collective punishment.[32] The Jabarin family appealed the demolition, but Israel's Supreme Court rejected the appeal. Fuld's widow supported the demolition.[28] The home was ultimately blown up by the IDF in January 2019.[33]

According to the Jerusalem Post, Jabarin was charged with murder, three counts of attempted murder, and possession of an unlicensed weapon. The Judea Juvenile Military Court ordered that he remain in custody until the end of the trial.[34] Jabarin was convicted of Fuld's murder and additional charges of attempted murder in January 2020.[35][32] He was sentenced to life in prison, and the Fuld family was awarded 1.25 million shekels ($365,000) in damages.[35][20]

Legacy and aftermath

In November 2018, the Israel Police posthumously awarded Fuld the Medal of Distinction. The commendation praised Fuld for halting Jabarin's attack and for his advocacy work against the boycott, sanctions, and divestment movement.[36] Fuld's family founded the Ari Fuld Project with the aim of continuing projects he worked on. It provides support to IDF soldiers and awards an annual "Lion of Zion" prize.[37][38][39]

In 2020, Fuld's family filed a lawsuit against Iran and Syria for allegedly supporting Hamas.[40] Four years later, a US district court fined Iran and Syria $191 million.[41] In June 2025, the US Supreme Court decided Fuld v. Palestine Liberation Organization, finding unanimously that Israeli victims of terrorism can sue the Palestinian Authority. The decision overturned a lower court's ruling that it had no jurisdiction over the PA.[42][43] In August 2025, Fuld's family joined a lawsuit alleging that UNRWA provides assistance to Hamas and Hezbollah.[17]

Jabarin was to be freed as part of a hostages-and-prisoners exchange in February 2025 during the 2025 Gaza war ceasefire. As part of the deal, Jabarin would be deported from Israel to Yatta and permanently banned from entering Israeli territory.[44] At the last minute, Netanyahu halted the exchange over Hamas holding "humiliating" ceremonies during the release of Israeli hostages.[45]

References

  1. ↑ Mickolus, Edward (21 February 2019). Terrorism Worldwide, 2018. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-7940-2.
  2. ↑ Samsonov, Gil (20 February 2020). Netanyahu and Likud's Leaders: The Israeli Princes. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-64046-9.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Israel mourns Ari Fuld | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Feldman, Ari (17 September 2018). "Murder Of Ari Fuld Sparks Grief And Anger From New York To Israel". The Forward. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 Magid, Jacob (21 September 2018). "Witness says Ari Fuld's killer deliberately targeted an American". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Siyum in Memory of Ari Fuld '91YUHS". Yeshiva University. 3 August 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  7. 1 2 Kimon, Elisha Ben (17 September 2018). "Ari Fuld remembered as a 'hero to all' as he's laid to rest". Ynetglobal. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 Sales, Ben (17 September 2018). "Ari Fuld, American expat slain in West Bank, remembered as a combative activist and caring friend". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 "Thousands attend funeral for terror victim Ari Fuld, who is remembered as a hero". Times of Israel. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  10. 1 2 3 "APPRECIATION: Driven by a love of Israel | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 16 September 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "Kosher Karate". Haaretz. 4 February 2008.
  12. ↑ Lev, Tzvi (4 August 2026). "Israeli soccer star dedicates award to Ari Fuld". Israel National News. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "Israeli-American Man, 40, Killed in Stabbing Attack at West Bank Mall". Haaretz.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Terror victim Ari Fuld mourned as 'larger than life' hero, champion for Israel". Times of Israel. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  15. ↑ "Palestinian stabs American-Israeli man to death in West Bank". AP News. 16 September 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  16. ↑ Stub, Zev (8 June 2025). "Australia blocks visit by Israel activist Hillel Fuld, causing outrage". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  17. 1 2 Livni, Ephrat (2 August 2025). "American Victims of Hamas and Hezbollah Attacks Sue U.N. Agency". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 4 "Fatally wounded, Ari Fuld prevented terrorist from stabbing falafel shop worker". Times of Israel. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  19. 1 2 3 4 "One person killed in terror attack in Gush Etzion". Ynetnews. 16 September 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  20. 1 2 Kimon, Elisha Ben (21 July 2020). "Israel sentences Ari Fuld killer to life in prison". Ynetglobal. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  21. ↑ Onyanga-Omara, Jane (17 September 2018). "American-Israeli fatally stabbed by Palestinian teen in occupied West Bank". USA TODAY. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  22. 1 2 3 Gross, Judah Ari; Staff, ToI (16 September 2018). "Ari Fuld, 45, named as victim of West Bank stabbing attack". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  23. 1 2 3 4 "Ari Fuld killing: $1m raised for family by crowdfunders". BBC. 23 September 2018. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  24. ↑ "American-Israeli man stabbed to death in West Bank". NBC News. 16 September 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  25. ↑ Eglash, Ruth (17 September 2018). "U.S.-born Israeli citizen killed in terrorist attack is hailed by Netanyahu as a hero". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018.
  26. ↑ Lerner, Peter (17 September 2018). "Opinion | If You Can't Mourn Ari Fuld, You Are An Accomplice In His Murder". The Forward. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Tlozek, Eric (27 September 2018). "A Palestinian teen allegedly stabbed an Israeli ex-soldier to death. Now there's fury over 'pay to slay'". ABC News. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  28. 1 2 3 Khoury, Jack (18 January 2019). "Israeli Army Demolishes Home of Terrorist Who Killed Israeli-American in West Bank". Haaretz. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  29. 1 2 3 Rasgon, Adam (19 September 2018). "PA hasn't yet paid family of terrorist who killed Fuld, but they'll be eligible". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  30. ↑ Ahronheim, Anna (17 September 2018). "IDF maps home of Fuld's killer for demolition". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  31. ↑ "IDF to destroy the house of the terrorist who murdered Ari Fuld". The Jerusalem Post. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  32. 1 2 "Israeli court gives Palestinian attacker life sentence". The Washington Post. Associated Press. 21 July 2020. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  33. ↑ Liphshiz, Cnaan (18 January 2019). "Israel destroys home of Palestinian teen who killed Ari Fuld". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  34. ↑ Bob, Yonah Jeremy (29 October 2018). "Court orders Ari Fuld accused murderer jailed until end of trial". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  35. 1 2 "Teen terrorist who killed US-Israeli Ari Fuld in West Bank jailed for life". The Times of Israel. 21 July 2020. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  36. ↑ Gross, Judah Ari (6 November 2018). "Terror victim Ari Fuld posthumously awarded medal for shooting his stabber". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  37. ↑ Hasten, Josh (30 September 2025). "Lion of Zion Prize in memory of Ari Fuld presented to Avi Abelow". Israel & Jewish News - JNS. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  38. ↑ "Memorial service to be held in Ari Fuld's honor | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  39. ↑ "Watch Live: Remembering Ari Fuld, one year after his murder". Israel National News. 23 July 2026. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  40. ↑ "Family of US-born Israeli settler files $1bn lawsuit against Iran and Syria for West Bank stabbing". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  41. ↑ Bernard, Andrew (2 April 2024). "Federal court: Iran, Syria must pay $191 million for murder of Ari Fuld". Israel & Jewish News - JNS. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  42. ↑ Fritze, John (20 June 2025). "Supreme Court allows victims of terrorist attacks to sue the Palestinian Authority | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  43. ↑ "US Supreme Court upholds law on suing Palestinian authorities over attacks". Reuters.
  44. ↑ "Ari Fuld's killer to be freed in hostage deal". Jewish News Syndicate. 20 February 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  45. ↑ "Families of terror victims anguished over release of loved ones' murderers". Times of Israel. 25 February 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
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