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Suspicion: Palestinian killed wife because she was carrying girl

Police say West Bank Palestinian choked wife to death over ultrasound results; relatives say he was jealous of brother, who has nine sons

Ali Waked Published: 05.13.10, 14:18 / Israel News

Palestinian police in the West Bank city of Nablus arrested a man on suspicion that he murdered his pregnant wife Wednesday night because an ultrasound examination showed that she was carrying a girl.

The couple has four children – three boys and a girl – and the father wanted another son.

Palestinian police officials said the argument that followed the ultrasound test was just one of many and that it was not the sole reason behind the murder in the village of Nasiriyah, located north of Nablus.

According to police, abrasions were found on the man's body, indicating that the wife struggled as he was choking her to death.

Family members said the husband had tried to kill his wife following a previous ultrasound examination. Relatives said the suspect was envious of his brother, who has nine sons. They said the husband had beaten his wife in the days prior to the murder.