Advisor to Shasha-Biton, 17th on New Hope list shot dead in Israel’s north

Sahar Ismael, 50, an advisor to Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton (New Hope) and number 17 on New Hope’s Knesset list  was shot dead in the town of Rama in the Beit HaKerem Valley situated between the Upper and Lower Galilee in Israel’s north on Sunday morning, Israel Police Spokesperson announced. “The New Hope family is stunned and hurting over the murder of our member and friend Sahar Ismael,” the party tweeted. “A brave and honest leader. Advisor to the Education Minister, engineer, educator. Member of the Druze community. We are certain that the Israel Police will do all it can to catch the despicable murderers. Condolences to his dear family,” the party wrote. 

Ismael was reportedly close to Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar. 

“Sahar Ismael, a dear and loved friend and a political partner was murdered this morning in Rama,” Sa’ar tweeted shortly after the report.

“A kind-hearted man, who loved people and loved the country, an honest and brave leader, a true friend. It is incomprehensible that I will no longer see Sahar, with his eternal smile, that we saw just yesterday. I am sure that the Israel Police will put its hands on the despicable murderers and bring them to justice,” he wrote.

“The Education Minister Dr. Yifat Shasha-Biton was astonished to receive the bitter news of the murder of her advisor on Arab affairs Sahar Ismael, and is in contact with his immediate family,” Shasha-Biton’s office wrote in a statement.

“The entire Education Ministry joins in the family’s deep mourning and sorrow,” the statement said.   

Police suspect that the incident was a premeditated murder and an investigation is underway. Ismael was pronounced dead by paramedics right as they arrived on the scene. 

Shauki Latif, Rama’s mayor, told Ynet that “he was killed by a string of bullets.” MDA teams that were summoned to the area found the man in his car with gunshot wounds. “When we arrived at the spot we found the man unconscious and with penetrating wounds, without a pulse and not breathing. We carried out medical procedures but were forced to pronounce the man dead,” said MDA paramedic Michael Babyonishev.