Israeli-Arab Actor Juliano Mer-Khamis Shot Dead in Jenin

Israeli-Arab Actor Juliano Mer-Khamis Shot Dead in Jenin

Israeli-Arab Peace activist, actor, director and filmmaker Juliano Mer-Khamis, was assassinated this week in Jenin by masked militants. Mer-Khamis was born in Nazareth to a Jewish mother and Christian-Palestinian father. After serving in the Israeli army, Mer-Khamis decided to devote his life to peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. In a later stage in his life he moved to Jenin, where he established the Freedom Theatre, a theatre intended to provide the children of Jenin with entertainment and recreational activity. Juliano Mer-Khamis was well known in the region and received many international awards for his work. Mer-Khamis and his assistant were targeted in a drive – by shooting after leaving his theatre in Jenin,. President Abbas condemned the “hideous attack” saying that “this hateful crime cannot be overlooked and constitutes a dangerous violation of all our rules and human principles and it contradicts all our customs and morals of coexistence.” Different reports state that either a Hamas member, or an al-Aqsa Brigades militant called Qunayri, are suspects and have been held in custody since the event. Juliano has been threatened in the past by Hamas militants who object to his work. Thousands of Palestinians and Israelis participated in his funeral march. Friends of Juliano declared that the perpetrator was participating in an internecine feud, and the murderers were “insiders” who are here to harm their fellow Palestinians.