A masked gunman entered a school in Tayibe on Monday and murdered the principal, Yosef Haj Yachieh; teachers who witnessed the shooting called police. The assailant escaped the scene on foot.
A local ambulance evacuated the wounded victim to Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba, where his death was declared.
- The principal was conducting a meeting in his office to prepare for the start of the school year. During the meeting an armed assailant entered and shot the victim in front of the teachers. An education official in the municipality burst out in tears.
"It's hard for me to internalize this shocking incident. I have no words to express the tragedy which befell the residents of Tayibe and the entire Arab sector," she said.
Other local teachers and municipality employees expressed their shock. The police launched an investigation and started searching the area. Haj Yachieh, the long-time principal of the school, had recently announced his intention to enter the local mayoral race.
Raanan Ben-Zur contributed to this report.
First published: 12:43, 08.25.14