Netanel Arami hy''d
Netanel Arami hy''dCourtesy of the family

The family of Netanel Arami hy''d, a Jewish construction worker who fell 11 stories to his death on a Petah Tikva building project two weeks ago, held a news conference Tuesday after police revealed they suspect he was murdered by an Arab co-worker.

Members of the family were accompanied by Attorney Hur Nizri of the Honenu legal aid organization, who was asked by journalists for more details of the case which is still under a police gag order.

After Nizri stated he could not give answers due to the order, MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud) who was on hand stepped forward, telling the journalists "I can say a little more."

Feiglin noted that he used to run a rapelling construction company like the one Arami owned, and emphasized "I can tell you as a professional expert that this was murder, not a work accident."

Shortly after the incident, Feiglin visited the family and noted that police arrived on the scene to find both of Arami's ropes cut, and Arab workers laughing on the roof. Nevertheless, police have yet to arrest a suspect in the apparent murder.

Nizri said at the press conference "two weeks ago Netanel Arami was murdered and since then the Welfare Ministry has yet to contact the family. The family is abandoned." The attorney added that Arami's bereaved family "will fight until the truth is brought to light."

The attorney criticized lax police and government treatment of the case, dealing with the incident "as if it happened in England" and didn't directly impact Israeli citizens.

"They murdered my son because he's Jewish"

Miryam, the bereaved mother of Netanel, stated clearly "they murdered my son because he's Jewish. There's no other reason here."

"I call on all the government sources to put an end to this slaughter they are doing against us. It's like we're in a shooting range," continued Miryam. "No one knows who's next in line."

Speaking about the justice demanded in the case, Miryam stated "if the punishment isn't enough of a deterrent, this won't be the last case. All of this covering up won't help, it was clear that when two ropes opened it's only murder and nothing else. Our nation is not stupid."

While it took police two weeks to rule out an accident and then start investigating Arami's death as a case of murder, Miryam noted "from the start we knew this was murder, and not a work accident."

The bereaved mother also criticized the police for "coming to inform the family and finding the wife with a baby in her arms and she's collapsing, but they summon her directly to arrive to the station to sign for the autopsy. ...They need some sensitivity."

She added that while "the nation of Israel supports us, they came to the shiva (period of intense mourning) and continue to support us," the government and Welfare Ministry has yet to visit or show support.

'What do you tell a two-year-old?'

Arami left behind his pregnant wife Moriya and two small children, Eitan and Aviya.

Speaking at the conference, a tearful Moriya said "my husband went to work like every other day, a husband who concerned himself with providing for us, and didn't come back."

"My husband was loved by all, he didn't have enemies, he was a devoted, loving and concerned father, an amazing husband, like no other," said the bereaved wife.

Moriya added "I don't know how I'll raise my children without their father. My two-year-old son asks me 'where is dad?' What do you say to a child that age? I tell him 'dad is protecting us from heaven.'"

Arami's father, Rabbi Uziel Arami, also spoke at the conference, saying "the loss and victimization of Netanel is not the case of an individual victim, but the public victim of the Jewish nation."

"We all need to unify as one with one heart, our strength is in our unity," said the grieving father. "We see what is happening on the ground. Here it's an attack with a truck, and here with a tractor. They throw rocks at kindergartens and we see support written for Islamic State (ISIS) and Hamas."

The rabbi concluded by saying "we don't want another victim like Netanel. I demand that the truth come to light and that no efforts be spared."