Independent Arab Journalist Reportedly Shot Dead in Northern Israel

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Arab investigative journalist Nidal Aghbariya has been shot dead overnight in his car in northern Israel, national media reported on Monday.

"A 44-year-old man found shot in his car in the northern Israeli city. He was brought to Emek Medical Center in Afula in life-threatening condition, and pronounced dead there," the police were quoted as saying by The Times of Israel.

The police of the northern Israeli city Umm al-Fahm have launched an investigation, according to media reports.

The journalist was an editor of the news site Bldtna and reported on violent crime in the Arab community and the developments in the city of Umm al-Fahm, In June last year, Aghbariya's life was threatened when unknown persons fired at his house, but then no one was injured.

"The police had known for a year that the criminal organizations had marked Nidal Aghbariya's house. A year ago his house was shot at when he and his family were at home, but the police did not act to arrest the criminals," Israel's left-wing party Hadash was quoted as saying by The Jerusalem Post.

The murder of the journalist caused outrage among the Arab-Israeli society with many people urging the police to take immediate action to eradicate violence and crime in the community.