A court in Jerusalem has given life sentence
to a Jewish gang leader, Yosef Haim Ben-David, for killing a Palestinian
teenager named Mohammed Abu Khdeir in 2014. He was also ordered by the
court to pay 150,000 shekels (£26,863). In February, two young members
of the gang were given life sentences along with 20 years in prison.
The father of the boy, Hussein Abu Khdeir,
told AFP: "Whatever they decide, our wounds will not heal; the boy will
not come back."
In November 2015, Ben-David's lawyers
submitted a last minute petition to delay his sentence on grounds of
insanity. He pleaded in court saying: "I am sorry for the family. This
is not me. I wasn't in control." The court ruled he was fit to stand
trial after psychological test results were received.
State prosecutor Uri Korb asked for
life sentence for killing Abu Khdeir, 20 years for kidnapping and
another 15 years for other charges, which include attempt to kidnap a
child. "This is an evil and cruel man who does not represent our
civilised society," he said.
After the court verdict was read, members of
Abu Khdeir's family cursed Ben-David as he was taken from the court, the
Guardian reported.
Two hours after the verdict, a Palestinian ran
a car into three Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank injuring
three, out of whom one is gravely injured.
The teenager was kidnapped from the occupied
East Jerusalem on 2 July, 2014 and his charred body was later found by
police in a Jerusalem forest. His autopsy results suggested that he was
beaten and burnt alive.
According to media reports, this was a revenge
attack for the murders of three Israeli teenagers Naftali Frenkel,
Gilad Shaer and Eyal Yifrach. The incidents contributed to the
Israel-Gaza conflict of 2014 which went on for 51 days.
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