Jerusalem street where tourist was killed
Jerusalem street where tourist was killedIsrael news photo: Flash 90

Police lifted a gag order Tuesday and revealed they have arrested two Jerusalem Arab teens for allegedly murdering an elderly American tourist in Jerusalem two weeks ago. The victim apparently refused them a cigarette. Police have not stated whether nationalist motives were involved.

The suspects are aged 13 and 15 and are from an Arab neighborhood in northern Jerusalem. The victim was identified as Lance Wolf, who was described as being 60 years old and living in the capital for approximately the last two years. His children in the United States have been notified of his death.

The youths initially denied they murdered Wolf, but later confessed. Security cameras in the Nahalat Shiva neighborhood located immediately behind the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall caught the murder on camera.

They said they smashed his head with a wooden board after he refused their request for a cigarette in what they said was a rude manner. A short time before, Wolf had agreed to buy vodka for them, and police said the teenagers may have been under the influence of alcohol when they murdered him. They were charged with manslaughter.

Police said the suspects have no criminal record. After Wolf fell under their blows, the two Arabs fled without seeking help for the man, who died of his wounds in HadassahHospital several days later.

Most of Israel’s mainstream media did not identify the teenagers as Arabs. This follows a similar omission several weeks ago when American authorities arrested an Israeli Arab for serial murders in the United States as he was about to board a plane for Israel. At that time, most American media did the same and called him an Israeli citizen without using the word Arab.