Abu Khdeir Murderers Sentenced To A Lifetime And 21 Years of Prison

Jerusalem, 25 Rabi’ul Akhir 1436/4 February 2016 (MINA) – The two Israeli settlers convicted in the 2014 murder of Palestinian teen Mohammad Abu Khdeir were sentenced on Thursday. One of them received life in prison and the second a 21 year sentence.

The names of both settlers, minors who were 16 at the time of the murder in July 2014, have not been made public, Palestine News Network (PNN) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The two, along with a third man named Yosef Haim Ben-David, who is considered the ringleader of the group, snatched Abu Khdeir of the street before beating him and burning him alive.

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i24 news said that an Israeli court on Tuesday postponed a hearing to determine whether Ben-David sufficiently sane to be held responsible for the crime. The closed-door hearing was put off until February 11 to allow more time for a psychiatric review of Ben-David, according to the lawyer for the victim’s family, Mohanned Jabara.

Prosecutors said Ben-David, 31, was the leader of the three-member gang and he was found responsible for carrying out the killing along with two minors by a court in November.

However, shortly before the ruling his lawyers entered a plea of insanity which would mean he was not criminally responsible for his actions.

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The court’s actions are being closely watched at a time of renewed Israeli-Palestinian tensions. A wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks targeting Israelis began in September.(T/P008/R07)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)