The Israeli Arab terrorist who murdered an Italian tourist and wounded seven others on the Tel Aviv promenade Friday night has been identified as 45-year-old Yousef Abu Jaber, a resident of Kfar Qassem.
Jaber was the father of five daughters and had no previous security background, according to a report on the Hebrew-language Ynet news site. He murdered 36-year-old Alessandro Farini, a resident of Rome, Italy.
The terrorist’s family members said that if they had known about his intention to carry out an attack, they would have had him arrested.
“We have good relations with Jews, we don’t know what made him think of such an act,” the family said.
At first, they refused to believe that he was indeed the one who carried out the attack, and asked to see his body to verify the truth, Ynet reported.
Later the family came to terms with the news that their family member was the terrorist behind the incident, but still found it hard to believe.
“We would prefer to hear that it is a lie, but unfortunately the result is very difficult,” the family said.
“It could have been a car accident, in which Yousef lost control for some reason. We are waiting for proof in this matter,” they said, [but] if it turns out that he carried out the attack, we condemn the act.
“It pains us to receive this news; we still can’t believe it happened.”
Profondo dolore e cordoglio per la morte di un nostro connazionale, Alessandro Parini, nell’attentato terroristico avvenuto in serata a Tel Aviv. Vicinanza alla famiglia della vittima, ai feriti e solidarietà allo Stato di Israele per il vile attentato che lo ha colpito.
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) April 7, 2023
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her grief over Farini’s death in a statement posted to Twitter.
“My condolences to the victim’s family, to the injured, and solidarity with the State of Israel for the vile attack it suffered,” she wrote.
