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2 Israelis Sentenced in 2014 Murder of Palestinian Teenager 2 Israelis Sentenced in 2014 Murder of Palestinian Teenager
(about 3 hours later)
JERUSALEM — It was a case that shocked Israel and the world: the brutal murder of a Palestinian teenager named Muhammad Abu Khdeir, 16. He was abducted on July 2, 2014, beaten, choked and then burned to death. JERUSALEM — It was a case that shocked Israel and the world: the brutal murder of a Palestinian teenager named Muhammad Abu Khdeir, 16. He was abducted on July 2, 2014, beaten, choked and then burned to death.
On Thursday, an Israeli court gave lengthy prison sentences to two young Jews involved in the murder: one for life and the other for 21 years. Their names have not been released because they were 17 and 16 at the time of the crime. On Thursday, an Israeli court gave lengthy prison sentences to two young Jews involved in the murder: one for life and the other for 21 years. Their names have not been made public because they were 16 at the time of the crime.
Mr. Khdeir was killed the day after the emotional burial of three Israeli yeshiva students who had been kidnapped and brutally murdered by men affiliated with Hamas in the occupied West Bank, and his death was immediately seen as a revenge killing by Jewish extremists. The crime was condemned across the Israeli political spectrum. Mr. Abu Khdeir was killed the day after the emotional burial of three Israeli yeshiva students who had been kidnapped and brutally murdered by men affiliated with Hamas in the occupied West Bank, and his death was immediately seen as a revenge killing by Jewish extremists. The crime was condemned across the Israeli political spectrum.
Tensions were high, Palestinian protests were widespread and rockets were fired from Gaza, and within a week, Israel was at war with Hamas in Gaza. Thousands of people died in the seven-week conflict of rocket strikes, bombardments and ground fighting, most of them Palestinians. Tensions were high, Palestinian protests were widespread, rockets were fired from Gaza, and within a week, Israel was at war with Hamas in Gaza. Thousands of people died in the seven-week conflict of rocket strikes, bombardments and ground fighting, most of them Palestinians.
The man who organized the murder of Mr. Khdeir and the two teenagers who were sentenced on Thursday all confessed to a revenge killing and were found guilty in November. But the man — Yosef Haim Ben-David, the main defendant in the case — pleaded insanity at the last minute, requiring a private psychiatric evaluation before he can be sentenced. The court will rule on his case later. The man who organized the murder of Mr. Abu Khdeir and the two teenagers who were sentenced on Thursday all confessed to a revenge killing and were found guilty in November. But the man — Yosef Haim Ben-David, the main defendant in the case — pleaded insanity at the last minute. The court will rule on his case later.
The court also ordered each of the teenagers to pay the Abu Khdeir family 30,000 shekels (about $7,700) in compensation.The court also ordered each of the teenagers to pay the Abu Khdeir family 30,000 shekels (about $7,700) in compensation.
The teenager who received the 21-year prison term was not sentenced to life because the court determined that he had not taken part in the actual murder, only in the actions that preceded it. “He is the youngest of the bunch, with potential for rehabilitation,” the court said in its ruling. “His actions are also vicious, as he captured the deceased, prevented him from resisting, assisted in strangling him. But nevertheless, he did not take part physically in the last stage that led to his beating and the pouring of fuel or oil on his body.”The teenager who received the 21-year prison term was not sentenced to life because the court determined that he had not taken part in the actual murder, only in the actions that preceded it. “He is the youngest of the bunch, with potential for rehabilitation,” the court said in its ruling. “His actions are also vicious, as he captured the deceased, prevented him from resisting, assisted in strangling him. But nevertheless, he did not take part physically in the last stage that led to his beating and the pouring of fuel or oil on his body.”
The Abu Khdeir family criticized the ruling and said both young men should have been given life sentences. The murdered boy’s father, Hussein, told reporters at Jerusalem District Court that the family wanted an appeal to be lodged with the Supreme Court. The Abu Khdeir family criticized the ruling and said both young men should have been given life terms. The murdered boy’s father, Hussein, said at Jerusalem District Court that the family wanted an appeal to be lodged with the Supreme Court.
“If there is no apartheid or racism, you will have to do this,” he said, arguing that the authorities had gone easy on the teenager because he is Jewish and not Arab. “If there is no apartheid or racism, you will have to do this,” he said, arguing that officials had gone easy on the teenager because he is Jewish and not Arab.
The murdered boy’s mother, Suha, told reporters: “What kind of justice is this? I’m a mother who lost her son forever, while I’m sure they will be released in 10 years or less. Why? This isn’t justice. This is unfair. I won’t accept such a ruling.”The murdered boy’s mother, Suha, told reporters: “What kind of justice is this? I’m a mother who lost her son forever, while I’m sure they will be released in 10 years or less. Why? This isn’t justice. This is unfair. I won’t accept such a ruling.”
The state had sought life terms for both teenagers, but voiced satisfaction with Thursday’s sentencing. “I hope that the message will be relayed that actions of this kind are revolting and that we as a society will not accept them,” said Uri Korb, one of the prosecutors. The state had sought life terms for both teenagers but expressed satisfaction with the sentencing. “I hope that the message will be relayed that actions of this kind are revolting and that we as a society will not accept them,” said Uri Korb, one of the prosecutors.
Lawyers for the teenage defendants said that they, too, were considering an appeal.Lawyers for the teenage defendants said that they, too, were considering an appeal.
Also on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized three Arab members of the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, for visiting with the families of Palestinians who were killed after they tried to kill Israelis. The families want the bodies of their dead returned.
“Knesset members who pay a condolence call to families of terrorists who have killed Israelis are not fit to serve in the Israeli Knesset,” Mr. Netanyahu said.