A ruling was delayed on a third suspect.
Advertisement
A Jerusalem court has convicted two Israeli youths over the killing of 16-year-old Palestinian Mohammad Abu Khdeir, who was burned to death in east Jerusalem.
“Not only did Guardian editors lead with the death of the terrorists in the headline, they added a strap line which focused on the number of Palestinians killed in ‘the latest wave of violence, ‘ said the report”.
The judge determined that Ben David, and two Israeli minors had snatched Abu Khdeir from an east Jerusalem sidewalk in July 2014 and burned him alive in a forest outside the city.
A terror cell is blamed by the Israeli military. Six Israeli civilians and 67 Israeli soldiers were killed.
The prosecution maintained he was fit to stand trial, presenting the court with evidence it said showed that Ben-David was fully aware of what was happening, and asked the court to reject the evaluation, Haaretz reported. In a pre-trial hearing, he shouted: “I am the Messiah!”
The court is only allowed to make a formal conviction of the two minors after an authorized social worker has completed an evaluation, said prosecutors.
Israel immediately blamed the kidnappings on militants from Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls Gaza, rounding up hundreds of suspected members in the West Bank. No one has been charged in the assault. Israeli officials have not said whether the four are linked to the arson. Once they reached the forest, one accomplice helped Ben David douse Abu Khdeir with gasoline.
An aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said it was “unprecedented” for the court to accept the insanity plea the day of the verdict, rather than during the subsequent appeal.
“It’s all a lie”. They have not been identified by the court.
After Monday’s verdict, Muhammad’s father, Hussein Abu Khudair, told reporters, “How can the defendant, two days ago, a year and a half after the crime, bring a document claiming insanity?”
But the Israeli government may continue making efforts to crack down on Jewish extremists, not only for Israelis’ and Palestinians’ safety, but to prevent further outbreaks of violence and instability.
Nineteen Israelis and a US citizen have been killed since October 1. In some cases, Palestinians charge protesters and others were killed in summary executions.
Relatives of Mohammed Abu Khdeir hold his picture during a protest in July a year ago following his death.
The Palestinian teenager’s parents, who attended every court session, pointed out the systematic discrimination in the Israeli policy of demolishing the homes of attackers, which mostly applies to Palestinians. He said Ben David, who was driving, stopped next to five “small children” before finding Muhammad.
In keeping with Israeli law, the two 18-year-olds convicted were not named because the crime took place and the trial began when they were minors.
One of the young men said Ben David had given them pills “to calm us down”, and that they had tried to get out of the situation.
Advertisement
The two convicted minors will be sentenced in mid-January.
