Jewish Miami man opens fire on two israelis, mistaking Them for Palestinians

A shocking case of mistaken identity and racial animus unfolded in Miami Beach on Saturday night when a Jewish American man fired 17 shots at two visiting Israeli nationals, believing they were Palestinians.

The shooter, 27-year-old Mordechai Brafman, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder after telling police he targeted his victims solely based on his assumption of their ethnicity.

The incident occurred around 9:30 PM when Brafman, driving on Pine Tree Drive, suddenly made a U-turn, stopped, and opened fire on a Hyundai carrying the two Israelis.

According to the police report, the attack was entirely unprovoked. Despite firing 17 rounds, he only managed to injure one victim, Ari Rabi, in the shoulder, while grazing the victim’s father in the forearm.

Following his arrest, Brafman reportedly spontaneously confessed, stating, "I saw two Palestinians and shot to kill." However, he was completely mistaken about their identity—his victims were Israeli.

In a twist of irony, after surviving the attack, victim Ari Rabi took to social media, posting a message declaring the incident an antisemitic attack, despite the Jewish identity of the perpetrator. In a now-deleted Facebook post, Rabi wrote (translated from Hebrew):

"My father and I survived an assassination attempt due to antisemitism. They tried to kill us in the heart of Miami, but God was with us. Thank you for your support. Death to the Arabs."

The post, which included an Israeli flag and prayer emojis, ignited backlash for its anti-Arab rhetoric, particularly given the circumstances of the attack.

Reactions and Legal Defense

The bizarre incident has sparked debate over racism, mental health, and media bias in reporting violent hate crimes.

Meanwhile, Brafman’s defense attorney, Dustin Tischler, is attributing the attack to mental health issues, arguing that his client’s "ability to make sound judgments was significantly compromised." The defense has pledged to seek psychological evaluation and treatment.