U.S. Envoy: Dual-Citizen Terror Victim Ari Fuld ‘Defender of Israel and American Patriot’

Ari Fuld, a father of four from the West Bank settlement of Efrat, was stabbed in the back
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Deborah Brand

TEL AVIV – The American-Israeli who was murdered in a Palestinian terror stabbing attack on Sunday was “a passionate defender of Israel and an American patriot,” U.S. Ambassador David Friedman said, adding that the dual citizen was “the best of both countries.”

44-year-old Ari Fuld, a father of four from the West Bank settlement of Efrat, was stabbed in the back by a Palestinian terrorist, 17-year-old Khalil Jabarin, outside a new shopping mall near the victim’s home.

In an incredible feat that was captured by several security cameras, Fuld, moments after being stabbed in the back, pursued his attacker for several hundred feet shooting him all the while before collapsing.

“America grieves as one of its citizens was brutally murdered by a Palestinian terrorist. Ari Fuld was a passionate defender of Israel & an American patriot. He represented the best of both countries & will be deeply missed. May his family be comforted & his memory be blessed,” Friedman tweeted.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised the pro-Israel activist as a hero.

“With his last strength, Ari fought heroically against the terrorist and prevented a greater tragedy. Ari was a wonderful father to four children. He was an advocate for Israel who fought to spread the truth about Israel. May his memory be a blessing,” Netanyahu wrote on his Facebook page.

Dr. Alon Schwartz, a trauma surgeon at Shaare Zedek Center in Jerusalem where Fuld was evacuated, said he showed no signs of life on arrival.

“He was stabbed once in the rib cage on the right side of his back. There were no signs of life when he was brought in. We performed CPR and an urgent operation, unfortunately after 50 minutes of resuscitation attempts, we had to pronounce his death,” the surgeon said.

According to Channel 10, moments before the attack Jabarin’s mother told border police that she was worried her son might carry out an attack but wasn’t sure where. Jabarin’s grandfather claimed to have warned Israeli security when the teenager failed to show up for school Sunday morning.

President Reuven Rivlin also praised Fuld’s last act of heroism.

“I want to send my sincerest condolences to the Fuld family, to the residents of Efrat and all of Gush Etzion over the shocking murder of Ari Fuld,” said Rivlin.

“No one will resist terror so forcefully as Ari, who displayed exceptional courage and fought until the last moment — we too will pursue by any means the perpetrators of this attack,” the president added.

Fuld was a fourth level black belt in karate and taught the martial art to children at the settlement he lived in.

“The entire People of Israel is pained at the shocking murder of Ari Fuld this morning in Gush Etzion,” said Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud). “Ari demonstrated rare courage, pursued the terrorist but unfortunately his strength did not last.”

Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel called the murder “a tremendous loss of a precious person, a hero who fought until his last breath to prevent other citizens from being harmed.”

Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett said, “Ari Fuld is a hero of Israel who saved lives as he died.”

Fuld’s brother Eytan is the spokesperson for MK Bezalel Smotrich from Bennett’s party. His younger brother, Hillel, a popular entrepreneur and adviser to Israeli startups, called Fuld a hero both in life and death.

“He lived as a hero and died as a hero. My big bro is gone. Thanks for the messages. Really. Just looking for oxygen now,” Hillel Fuld tweeted to close to 70,000 followers.

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