A 23-year-old Arab man sustained serious injuries after being attacked in Tiberias, allegedly for talking to a young Jewish woman. Police are still searching for the suspected assailant, a 19-year-old who fled the scene.

According to police, it is not yet clear whether the attack was nationalistically motivated and whether there was any connection between the suspect and the young woman.

The attack occurred on Tuesday night in a gas station in Tiberias. Superintendent Jacky Dan of Tiberias Police told Ynet that the investigation indicates that the young Arab man, who resides with his family in the city, was talking to a girl he knew prior to the assault.

The suspect arrived at the site and the two got into an argument. The suspect angrily asked on what right was the victim talking to the woman and proceeded to hit him in the head.

According to police estimates, the Arab was beaten with a heavy metal object, which the suspect held inside a plastic bag. The victim then lost consciousness and was rushed to the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa.

The hospital stated that the victim was admitted into the neurosurgical intensive care unit and has since regained consciousness. His condition is stable.

Superintendent Dan said that police are familiar with the suspect and are searching for him.