Gunman kills judge in Israel

A gunman shot and killed an Israeli district court judge in a Tel Aviv suburb tonight.

Judge Adi Adar, aged 49, was in his car near his home in Ramat Hasharon when he was shot from close range by a man on a motorcycle, witnesses told police. The assailant escaped.

The motive for the killing was unclear. Adar did not try criminal cases. His main job was to assign cases to other judges.

“This is the first murder of a judge in Israel’s history,” said Justice Minister Joseph Lapid, “This must give us food for thought about where Israel’s society is headed.”

Underworld violence is not uncommon in Israel, with rival gangs targeting each other. Several months ago three bystanders died when a gang set off a bomb in Tel Aviv, aiming for a well-known gang leader, who escaped unharmed.