A Palestinian Authority man who was shot after he broke into the Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv Tuesday evening has been disowned by his family.
Nadim Injaz's family members told reporters Wednesday they no longer have any blood ties to the deranged man, adding that they condemn his actions – especially his collaboration with Israel. Injaz, who has a criminal record, was in the past an informer for the Israel Police.
The PA's leading Fatah faction, meanwhile, claims the entire incident was a “Shin Bet' (Israel Security Agency) ploy. Fatah said in a statement that Injaz had once been a PA employee, but is currently “a drug dealer living in Tel Aviv under official Israeli protection.”
Fatah made an attempt in its statement to drive a deeper wedge between Turkey and Israel, while strengthening ties between Ankara and the PA. “We are certain that the depth of the connection between the Palestinian people and the Turkish people is deeper and stronger than an absurd action planned by the Shin Bet and carried out by a known collaborator,” the statement read.
Injaz demanded safe passage to Ankara and said he was armed before being shot by embassy personnel.
His attorney, Avital Horef, told reporters Injaz had fled Judea and Samaria in order to “stay alive” because he faced a PA death sentence for collaborating with Israel.
Allegedly mentally deranged, the Arab gunman made a similar attempt in the British Embassy in Tel Aviv in 2006. He was recently released after serving prison time for that attack.
Because the Turkish Embassy is considered foreign territory, Israeli police and ambulance personnel were not allowed inside the building, although it was clear that someone had been shot, and there was a risk that a hostage situation was developing.
Israel Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor confirmed that Injaz had briefly taken two hostages. In a call to Channel 2 TV that was recorded and later broadcast, the attacker threatened to “burn down the whole building.”
Injaz said in the phone call that he was demanding asylum and protection from “the murdering Jews,” but added that Palestinian Authority leaders, including PA Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas “should die” as well.
It took six hours for Turkish officials to release Injaz, who was immediately taken into custody by Israeli police just before midnight. Spewing a stream of curses, Injaz flashed the victory sign to reporters as he was taken away to an ambulance outside the building. He was evacuated to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, where he was treated for gunshot wounds.
No one else was wounded in the incident.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry later released a statement saying, “Embassy guards neutralized the individual as he tried to take the vice consul as hostage after shouting around for asylum.” According to the ministry, Injaz was armed with a knife, a gasoline can and a toy gun.
Injaz was arrested on charges of residing illegally in Israel, due to his lack of identity papers.
It was the only possible allegation with which he could be charged, due to the fact that the embassy is considered Turkish sovereign territory.