The 26-year-old Israeli accused of murdering a Palestinian taxi driver on Monday, Julian Soufir, told police, "I decided to murder an Arab."
According to Haaretz, police said their initial investigation revealed that the suspect, an immigrant from France, went to Jerusalem on Monday morning to find a taxi driver to murder. He murdered Taysir Karaki, 35, from Beit Haninah north of Jerusalem. The murder took place in Tel Aviv.
Police said the victim's throat had been slit a few hours before the body was found. His taxi was parked outside.
Police claim the suspect seems to have had no prior acquaintance with the victim. The suspect said he went to Jerusalem because he thought he would be able to find an Arab victim more easily there.
The suspect entered the victim's taxi in Jerusalem and asked to be driven to Tel Aviv. They apparently made one stop along the way at the suspect's request, the newspaper reported.
Karaki's father, Yasser Karaki, told Haaretz his son, who was married and the father of four children ages six to 12, had driven the children to school and set off for work at 8:30 A.M.
