On Friday morning, YWN Israel reported that a car accident which had claimed the lives of a young father and his infant son was the cause of rock-throwing Arabs. We retracted that story a short while later after the police issued a statement denying that info. Now, on Sunday afternoon, Police have concluded their investigation, and determined that the accident was a direct result of rock-throwing Arabs. Additional, his family says that the drivers gun was stolen following the fatal crash.

The following update is from a Ynet article:

Police concluded Sunday that Asher Palmer and his son Yehonatan were killed in a car cash after stones were hurled at them on Highway 60.

Asher Palmer, 25, and his 1-year-old son, Yehonatan, were killed Friday when their car overturned near Kiryat Arba. After an initial inquiry, the police ruled out the possibility that the accident had been caused by stones that were hurled at the vehicle by Palestinians.

But an examination of the father’s body revealed fractures to his skull. “It was clearly a terrorist attack, Asher’s gun had been stolen, there were rocks inside the vehicle and it was clear Asher was hit by a rock,” Palmer’s family said after police informed them of their conclusion that the incident was in fact the result of a terror attack. 

Aharon Peretz, Palmer’s brother-in-law, estimated that the police did not announce the incident was the result of a terror attack so as not to “fan the flames.” He added: It’s very grave that it comes at the expense of a grieving family.” The family also claims that in addition to the handgun, Asher’s wallet had also been stolen.

Peretz said of his brother-in-law, “He never fought with anyone. He was a quiet and special man and this is a great loss.” Asher and Yehonatan Peretz will be laid to rest in Hebron later on Sunday.

Earlier, police motioned to perform an autopsy on the two bodies but the judge accepted the family’s rejection. The State then appealed to the High Court of Justice on the matter, but prior to the hearing a compromise was reached whereby only blood samples would be taken from the bodies.

MK Michael Ben Ari criticized the police for its conduct in the affair. “The police spokesperson’s office is serving Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) over fear of violent protests and did not report this as a terror attack.”

Yesha Council Chairman Danny Dayan spoke to Central Command chief Avi Mizrahi and police official Amos Yaakov on the matter. “Nothing creates a worse atmosphere than the feeling one isn’t being told the whole truth,” Dayan told the two. “The difference between the police’s statement to the court and the initial IDF and police statements to the media is very disconcerting.” Dayan demanded the publication of a report with all the inquiry details.

Investigators who arrived on the scene of the crash Friday found a hole in the car’s windshield that appears like it could have been an entry point of a stone.

A large, blood-stained stone was also found in the car. An analysis showed that it was human blood that stained the stone. The stirring wheel was torn, suggesting that it was hit by the rock.

READ MORE: YNET