A 19-year-old lady who chose to work at a local company, study, and dress in western attire over a traditional Bedouin lifestyle was shot dead near her house.
Dima Bushnak desired to support her family while studying and did not wish to follow the traditional route for women in her area, which mostly comprised agricultural labour with minimal connection with males.
On Sunday, shortly before midnight, CCTV footage showed Dima urgently attempting to flee her assailant by reversing her car at high speed.
But, in her fright, she smashes into a wall, and a guy with a revolver rushes towards her.
As the shooter approaches the driver’s window, he fires once and flees away before returning to fire again.
A second car’s headlights are seen leaving the shooting moments later, near to the Bedouin settlement of Sallama in Galilee, northern Israel.
Dima was brought to the hospital in severe condition and subsequently died.
According to family members, she and her family have previously received death threats because of her choice of lifestyle.
Her mother’s car had been set on fire, but authorities had been unable to determine who was responsible.
One unnamed family member told local media: “Just because Dima wanted to get ahead in life, there are some people that decided to threaten her life and in the end killed her.”
The family member added: “They did not want her to work or study.”
Police did not specify whether there were any suspects or what they believe was the motivation.
According to the Abraham Initiatives anti-violence watchdog, Dima’s murder is the 78th violent killing in the Arab community this year, a dramatic rise from the 30 instances documented at this time last year.
She is the sixth Arab female victim and the sixteenth woman to be slain in Israel in 2023.
