Six members of an extremist Jewish cell have been arrested in connection with the murder of 16-year-old Muhammed Abu Khdeir, whose burned body was found in the Jerusalem forest on Wednesday, Israel’s Shin Bet security agency said.
The suspects, including a number of minors, are from Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem and the settlement of Adam, police said, according to Channel 2.
A gag order on some details was still in place as on Sunday evening. A press conference on the arrests scheduled for 5 p.m. was canceled at the last moment.
Police initially said they were investigating various avenues in the teen’s death, including criminal or personal motives, while Israeli social media abounded with rumors that he had been killed because he was gay or as part of an ongoing family feud.
Palestinians alleged that Abu Khdeir was killed by Jewish extremists to avenge the killings of the three Israeli teenagers, who were abducted in the West Bank on June 12. Their bodies were found earlier this week.
On Saturday, the Palestinian Authority attorney-general, Dr. Muhammed Abed al-Ghani al-Aweiwi, said that Abu Khdeir was burned alive, according to the preliminary findings of the autopsy.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the murder, telling reporters that he saw no difference between terrorist activities carried out by Jews and those carried out by Arabs, and would fight each with equally a heavy hand.
"We do not distinguish between acts of terrorism and we will react harshly against both. We do not distinguish between forms of incitement," Netanyahu said. "As I condemn the calls of death to Arabs, I condemn calls of death to Jews."
Speaking at a press conference Sunday evening, Netanyahu used the arrest of six suspects linked to the murder of Abu Khdeir's murder to make a dig at the Palestinian Authority.
"This is what differentiates us with our neighbors," he said. "There the murderers are welcomed as heroes and squares are named for them. This is not the only difference between us. We put on trial those who incite, while incitement in the Palestinian Authority is carried out in official instruments and the educational system, incitement that calls for the destruction of the State of Israel."
Israeli Economy Minister, Naftali Bennett, who heads the pro-settlers Habayit Hayeudi (Jewish Home) party, also condemned what he called the "despicable, immoral and anti-Jewish" murder.
He called for Israel's anti-terrorist law to be leveled against those responsible for Muhammed Abu Khdeir's murder, who was buried on Friday afternoon following Ramadan prayers.
His murder has sparked riots in several east Jerusalem neighborhoods, which spread this weekend to Israeli Arab cities, such as Nazareth and Kalansawa, in northern Israel. Hundreds of people threw rocks and fire bombs at officers who responded with tear gas and stun grenades, according to Israeli police.
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman says ‘’rioters have no place in Israel.’’ "It's good the police arrested the Arabs who were rioting. Now we expect the legal system to use a firm hand in dealing with those who enjoy Israeli citizenship but act like terrorists. These events have once again made it clear that these people have no place in the State of Israel, and for now, their place is in prison,’’ he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israeli Arabs, who enjoy the benefits of Israeli citizenship "can't have it both ways."
"They can't enjoy National Insurance stipends and child allowances while simultaneously violating the most basic laws of the State of Israel," Netanyahu told his cabinet at the weekly meeting on Sunday. "I call on the leaders of the Arab community to act responsibly and stand up to this outpouring of violence and restore calm. Anyone who fails to respect the law will be arrested and punished severely."
On Thursday, the parents of 15-year-old Tariq Abu Khdeir, Mohammed Abu Khdeir’s cousin, charged that their son had been beaten by Israeli police. The 15-year-old, who is a US citizen, was arrested in Shuafat during clashes between stone-throwers and Israeli riot police. An Israeli court on Sunday ordered Khdeir released from jail and placed under house arrest for nine days. The United States has called for an investigation.