5 Palestinians arrested for killing Israeli man

Israeli security forces Friday arrested five Palestinians who were allegedly involved in the killing of an Israeli man outside his home in the Jordan Valley. Seraya Ofer, 61, was found bludgeoned to death outside his home in the Israeli settlement of Brosh Habika, British newspaper The Guardian reported. Monique Omer, Ofer's girlfriend, told police Ofer's attackers had been beaten him with iron bars and an axe late Thursday. Israeli security forces launched a search for the assailants and arrested five Palestinian men Friday, The Jerusalem Post reported. The attack comes after a recent string of violent incidents targeting Israeli citizens. In September, two Israeli soldiers were killed in the West Bank and on Saturday, a 9-year-old girl was injured in front of her home in the West Bank. "The events of the past month may lead to an escalation in the West Bank," Israeli army Gen. Aluf Gadi Shamni said last week during an interview with Army Radio. "It's very difficult to determine if this is the start of an intifada."