Soccer player murdered in Kafr Kasim shooting

Suheib Farij, a 24-year-old midfielder for SC Kafr Kasim, was shot multiple times in the upper body and legs

By BEN HARTMAN
Soccer [Illustrative] (photo credit: INIMAGE)
Soccer [Illustrative]
(photo credit: INIMAGE)
A pro soccer player was gunned down in Kafr Kasim Saturday night, while he was walking to his house in the central town.
Suheib Farij, a 24-year-old midfielder for SC Kafr Kasim, was shot multiple times in the upper body and legs shortly after midnight and was taken from the scene to The Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikva where he was promptly pronounced dead.
On Sunday afternoon police from the Sharon subdistrict said they still didn’t know if the shooter was on foot or opened fire from a passing vehicle. They added they have yet to make any arrests and they are not aware of any threats against Farij.
Farij played for SC Kafr Kasim in the A League for two years, and notched seven goals for the squad. Following news of his death, the team canceled their Sunday practice.
Last week, police from the Central District announced the arrest of 17 suspects from Tira, near Kafr Kasim, on suspicion of being involved in the trafficking of illegal firearms.
One of those taken into custody was Samir Abed al-Hai, a player for Hapoel Kfar Saba. The case is criminal in nature and there is no nationalist angle, police say.
Hai’s part in the case involves the trade and possession of a single firearm.
That case, as well as the murder of Farij, is both being handled by the Central District’s Counterterrorism Unit.