Netanel Arami hy''d
Netanel Arami hy''dFlash 90

Police stated that in the past two days there have been dramatic developments in the investigation of the death of Netanel Arami hy''d, the Jewish construction worker who fell 11 stories to his death two weeks ago while rapelling from a Petah Tikva building project.

The details of the dramatic developments remain under wraps in a police media gag order.

On Tuesday police finally acknowledged their suspicions of what Arami's family had been saying since his death, namely that he was murdered by an Arab co-worker who cut both of his ropes in an act of terrorism. There has yet to be an arrest in the case.

Police began investigating another incident that occurred two weeks ago just before Arami's death, which they believe may be connected. In the incident, a massive 500 kilogram (1,100 pounds) generator inexplicably fell from the same 11th story of the building, at a time when workers involved in a dispute with other workers were standing below.

Miraculously no one was wounded or killed in the incident, but police suspect that a thorough investigation of the generator fall may lead to the same Arab co-workers who killed Arami. It should be noted Arami's wife has already stated that her husband had no enemies at work.

"It's just murder, it cannot be anything else," said a friend of Arami from work. "One rope can be torn after rubbing against a window, aluminum, glass, something like that. But two ropes? The simplest knife can cut them, you don't even need to try too hard."

Marching in protest

A protest march will be held with Arami's family in the coastal city of Bat Yam to the south of Tel Aviv on Wednesday evening, in a demand to locate the murderers and recognize Arami as a terror victim.

The march will leave from the family home on 101 Yoseftal Street and head to the Bat Yam police station.

"We will protest against the blunt and disparaging treatment of the police towards the family of the murdered, and we will protest the attempt to cover up the murder and turn Netanel into a criminal or negligent person," said Yehuda, an organizer of the march.

Yehuda added "we expected the Israeli police to protect the victims, but we feel that instead of helping they are treating the family like criminals."

Many residents from Bat Yam and around Israel are expected to take part in the protest, together with MKs and public figures, under the slogans "Netanel's blood is our blood" and "you don't cover up terror attacks."

Arami's family held a press conference on Tuesday after the police announcement of suspected terrorism, in which Arami's mother Miriam said "they murdered my son because he's Jewish. There's no other reason here."

Moriya, Arami's pregnant wife, lost her husband and was left to raise her two small children, Eitan and Aviya, alone. Moriya said Tuesday "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.'"

Also speaking at the conference was MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud), who 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.