Binyamin Netanyahu
Binyamin NetanyahuReuters

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu offered his condolences to the family of the Jewish man who was found murdered in an Arab town Wednesday, and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Reuven Shmerling, a long-time resident of Elkana in western Samaria, was found dead Wednesday afternoon in a factory he owns in the industrial zone of nearby Kfar Qasim.

The body was found by one of Shmerling’s four children, who quickly notified authorities.

Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the murder in a Facebook post Thursday night.

“I would like to send my condolences to the Shmerling family and the Elkana community over the murder of Reuven Shmerling. We will do everything to bring to justice those who committed this shocking murder. May his memory be a blessing,” Netanyahu wrote.

Shmerling, who is survived by his wife, Hana, their 4 children, and 19 grandchildren, was to have celebrated his 70th birthday on Wednesday. Locals say the family had gotten together at the victim’s home for the Sukkot holiday and to celebrate his birthday. The family even printed out special novelty shirts to mark Shmerling’s birthday.

Censors have placed a media blackout on publication of details on the ongoing investigation into Shmerling’s murder.

Police indicated that employees working at Shmerling’s factory are suspected in the murder, but have yet to confirm if the killing was a nationalistic attack, or related to some financial dispute.

On Thursday night, the Elkana Local Council announced that Shmerling would be laid to rest at the Elkana cemetery Friday afternoon. The funeral procession is scheduled to leave the Moreshet Yehudit synagogue in the ‘80’ neighborhood of Elkana at 1:45 p.m. Friday.