Jerusalem - Israeli police and security officials arrested a Jewish settler suspected of a series of crimes including the murder of two Palestinians in 1997, Israeli media reported Sunday. Yaakov "Jack" Teitel, 37, who was born in the US state of Florida and lived in the northern West Bank settlement of Shevut Rachel since 1997. He was arrested on October 7 for his alleged role in several shootings and bombings over a decade.
Teitel has confessed the murder of an east Jerusalem taxi driver and a Palestinian shepherd in 1997 as well as other allegations. He also claimed responsibility for a bomb attack that injured leftwing academic Zeev Sternhell in September 2008.
Teitel was arrested as he was hanging flyers in an ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood of Jerusalem in support of the attack against a gay and lesbian club in Tel Aviv in August.
Teitel claimed involvement in the attack in which two members of the gay and lesbian community were killed. The Israeli security officials however stated that Teitel was not the gunman in that attack.
Teitel stated during interrogation that he always acted alone and did not work with collaborations. Teitel was preparing additional attacks, Israeli officials said.
