10 june 2015
Dozens of olives trees were uprooted north of Salfit city after hordes of Israeli settlers unleashed herds of horses and cattle over Palestinians’ cultivated lands near the Apartheid Wall separating Salfit and the illegal Israeli settlement of Ariel.
Local farmers said an Israeli settler rents out horses and camels to settlers for entertainment across Palestinian cultivated lands.
Researcher Khaled Ma’ali said the assault is one among many others carried out by Israeli vandals near the separation wall and across other West Bank provinces.
He spoke out against the apathy maintained by the Israeli department of environmental protection as regards such assaults on Palestinian cultivated lands and preplanned attempts by Israeli settlers and authorities to destabilize the Palestinian ecosystem.
Local farmers said an Israeli settler rents out horses and camels to settlers for entertainment across Palestinian cultivated lands.
Researcher Khaled Ma’ali said the assault is one among many others carried out by Israeli vandals near the separation wall and across other West Bank provinces.
He spoke out against the apathy maintained by the Israeli department of environmental protection as regards such assaults on Palestinian cultivated lands and preplanned attempts by Israeli settlers and authorities to destabilize the Palestinian ecosystem.
A number of Israeli settlers and students stormed Wednesday morning al-Aqsa mosque via al-Magaribeh gate, Quds Press said.
Nearly 19 Israeli settlers stormed in three groups the mosque under heavy Israeli police protection, the sources clarified.
52 Israeli police officials have earlier broke into the holy shrine along with 42 students in total provocation to the Palestinian worshipers who protested against the continued and escalated Israeli break-ins.
A state of tension has prevailed in the mosque when Israeli police tried to arrest a Palestinian boy before the intervention of Palestinian worshipers.
Earlier Tuesday, 42 Israeli students broke into al-Aqsa Mosque via the Israeli-controlled al-Magaribeh Gate amid heavy police protection.
Nearly 19 Israeli settlers stormed in three groups the mosque under heavy Israeli police protection, the sources clarified.
52 Israeli police officials have earlier broke into the holy shrine along with 42 students in total provocation to the Palestinian worshipers who protested against the continued and escalated Israeli break-ins.
A state of tension has prevailed in the mosque when Israeli police tried to arrest a Palestinian boy before the intervention of Palestinian worshipers.
Earlier Tuesday, 42 Israeli students broke into al-Aqsa Mosque via the Israeli-controlled al-Magaribeh Gate amid heavy police protection.
9 june 2015
A group of Israeli settlers stormed Tuesday morning al-Aqsa mosque under heavy Israeli police protection, Quds Press said.
Nearly 63 settlers including 42 Israeli students broke into the holy shrine via the Israeli-controlled al-Magaribeh Gate amid heavy police protection.
For their part, Palestinian worshipers mostly women protested against the setters’ presence and tried to remove them out of the mosque.
In the meantime, Israeli forces filmed the protesters to facilitate their arrest at the mosque’s gates.
Israeli extremist organizations have earlier called for mass break-in into al-Aqsa mosque on Tuesday to celebrate the end of the school year.
Nearly 63 settlers including 42 Israeli students broke into the holy shrine via the Israeli-controlled al-Magaribeh Gate amid heavy police protection.
For their part, Palestinian worshipers mostly women protested against the setters’ presence and tried to remove them out of the mosque.
In the meantime, Israeli forces filmed the protesters to facilitate their arrest at the mosque’s gates.
Israeli extremist organizations have earlier called for mass break-in into al-Aqsa mosque on Tuesday to celebrate the end of the school year.
Menachem Zivotofsky and his father at the Supreme Court in Washington DC
Zivotofskys' 12-year legal battle ended Monday, with Supreme Court ruling that their son cannot register his place of birth as 'Jerusalem, Israel'.
The parents of an Israeli American boy who fought for years against a ban on Americans born in Jerusalem listing their birthplace as "Jerusalem, Israel" in their US passports have expressed disappointment at a US Supreme Court decision to uphold the prohibition.
"We are disappointed. Menachem is also disappointed. But you can't say we didn’t try," said Ari and Naomi Zivotofsky.
The US Supreme Court rejected the petition by a vote of 6 to 3, in the case the family brought against the State Department.
The Obama administration expressed content with the decision, which places the power to make foreign policy decisions in the hands of the president and not Congress, including the decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
The appeal by Ari and Noami Zivotofsky was based on congressional legislation from 2002, which stated that Americans born in Jerusalem would be recognized as Israeli-born. Current estimates put the number of Americans born in Jerusalem at around 50,000.
In response to the ruling, State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke expressed satisfaction at the decision.
"It’s an important decision," he said. "When the administration’s arguments are basically upheld by the decision – (we're) pleased by that, but not doing a victory dance."
The ruling represents a victory for the Obama administration, given ongoing efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bypass the president through Congress on the Iran issue.
"The court's decision...confirms the long-established authority of the president over the conduct of diplomacy and foreign policy," Rathke added.
The spokesman pointed out that since the establishment of the State of Israel, governments from both sides of the aisle have maintained a steady policy of not recognizing any state's sovereignty over Jerusalem, until the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is settled.
"We remain committed to this longstanding policy, and this decision today helps ensure that our position on the neutrality of Jerusalem remains – it remains clear," Rathke continued. In 1955, the US Congress passed a resolution to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and even allocated funds for the move; however, every American president since has suspended the decision on the grounds of US national security.
Menachem was born a short time after the 2002 legislation was passed; his parents, who reside in Beit Shemesh, immediately began a persistent campaign to list "Jerusalem, Israel" as his place of birth on his US passport.
"We are very surprised, we thought that it would be the opposite. We understood from the justice's questions in the November hearing that they supported our lawyer's argument, but sadly the court ruled otherwise.
Menachem is also disappointed, but you can't say we didn’t try," Ari Zivotofsky said. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barakat said that: "As Washington is the capital of Israel, London is the capital of England, and Paris the capital of France - Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel, but even more so the heart and soul of the Jewish people.
Especially during these days, when anti-Semites are raising their heads, and BDS supports the Hamas goal of destroying Israel, we expect the US to strengthen Israel and recognize Jerusalem as our capital. Veteran Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat commented: "This is an important decision, which sends a message to the Israeli government that its decision to occupy and annex Jerusalem is illegal, and against international law."
Zivotofskys' 12-year legal battle ended Monday, with Supreme Court ruling that their son cannot register his place of birth as 'Jerusalem, Israel'.
The parents of an Israeli American boy who fought for years against a ban on Americans born in Jerusalem listing their birthplace as "Jerusalem, Israel" in their US passports have expressed disappointment at a US Supreme Court decision to uphold the prohibition.
"We are disappointed. Menachem is also disappointed. But you can't say we didn’t try," said Ari and Naomi Zivotofsky.
The US Supreme Court rejected the petition by a vote of 6 to 3, in the case the family brought against the State Department.
The Obama administration expressed content with the decision, which places the power to make foreign policy decisions in the hands of the president and not Congress, including the decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
The appeal by Ari and Noami Zivotofsky was based on congressional legislation from 2002, which stated that Americans born in Jerusalem would be recognized as Israeli-born. Current estimates put the number of Americans born in Jerusalem at around 50,000.
In response to the ruling, State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke expressed satisfaction at the decision.
"It’s an important decision," he said. "When the administration’s arguments are basically upheld by the decision – (we're) pleased by that, but not doing a victory dance."
The ruling represents a victory for the Obama administration, given ongoing efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bypass the president through Congress on the Iran issue.
"The court's decision...confirms the long-established authority of the president over the conduct of diplomacy and foreign policy," Rathke added.
The spokesman pointed out that since the establishment of the State of Israel, governments from both sides of the aisle have maintained a steady policy of not recognizing any state's sovereignty over Jerusalem, until the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is settled.
"We remain committed to this longstanding policy, and this decision today helps ensure that our position on the neutrality of Jerusalem remains – it remains clear," Rathke continued. In 1955, the US Congress passed a resolution to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and even allocated funds for the move; however, every American president since has suspended the decision on the grounds of US national security.
Menachem was born a short time after the 2002 legislation was passed; his parents, who reside in Beit Shemesh, immediately began a persistent campaign to list "Jerusalem, Israel" as his place of birth on his US passport.
"We are very surprised, we thought that it would be the opposite. We understood from the justice's questions in the November hearing that they supported our lawyer's argument, but sadly the court ruled otherwise.
Menachem is also disappointed, but you can't say we didn’t try," Ari Zivotofsky said. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barakat said that: "As Washington is the capital of Israel, London is the capital of England, and Paris the capital of France - Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel, but even more so the heart and soul of the Jewish people.
Especially during these days, when anti-Semites are raising their heads, and BDS supports the Hamas goal of destroying Israel, we expect the US to strengthen Israel and recognize Jerusalem as our capital. Veteran Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat commented: "This is an important decision, which sends a message to the Israeli government that its decision to occupy and annex Jerusalem is illegal, and against international law."
8 june 2015
The American president rather than Congress has authority to decide policy on matters of sovereignty such as the US stance on the status of Jerusalem, the Supreme Court ruled Monday.
The top court was called to rule on the matter after lawmakers passed a law allowing the passports of Jerusalem-born US citizens to record their birthplace as "Jerusalem, Israel".
Ma'an reports that, in 2002, despite opposition from then president George W. Bush, Congress passed a law obliging the US government to accept this designation upon request.
But, after lengthy deliberations, the court decided that this law "infringes on the executive's consistent decision to withhold recognition with respect to Jerusalem."
Israel regards Jerusalem -- which it has fully controlled since the 1967 Six Day War -- as its historic and undivided capital, while Palestinians view East Jerusalem as occupied territory and the capital of a future state. Washington and the broader international community have never recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and its final status is one of the thorniest issues in the Middle East peace process.
In a decision that had been keenly anticipated since a hearing on the issue in November last year, the court upheld the White House's right to ignore Congress' attempt to force the issue.
"The provision forces the president, through the secretary of state, to identify, upon request, citizens born in Jerusalem as being born in Israel when, as a matter of United States policy, neither Israel nor any other country is acknowledged as having sovereignty over Jerusalem," the court said in a ruling presented by Justice Anthony Kennedy.
Six of the nine Supreme Court judges, including the three Jewish members of the bench, backed the ruling, but Chief Justice John Roberts objected.
"Today's decision is a first: never before has this court accepted a president's direct defiance of an act of Congress in the field of foreign affairs," he argued.
Bush signed Congress' 2002 bill into law, but accompanied his assent with a note objecting to the clause authorizing Jerusalem-born US citizens to request "Israel" be written in their passports.
Reacting to the decision Monday, spokesman for the Palestinian presidency Nabil Abu Rudeina said the ruling was "in harmony with international legitimacy."
Abu Rudeina told WAFA news that the decision comes in accordance with the UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions especially the latest resolution to recognize Palestine as an observer state. He added that the decision sent a clear message that Israel occupies East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
The top court was called to rule on the matter after lawmakers passed a law allowing the passports of Jerusalem-born US citizens to record their birthplace as "Jerusalem, Israel".
Ma'an reports that, in 2002, despite opposition from then president George W. Bush, Congress passed a law obliging the US government to accept this designation upon request.
But, after lengthy deliberations, the court decided that this law "infringes on the executive's consistent decision to withhold recognition with respect to Jerusalem."
Israel regards Jerusalem -- which it has fully controlled since the 1967 Six Day War -- as its historic and undivided capital, while Palestinians view East Jerusalem as occupied territory and the capital of a future state. Washington and the broader international community have never recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and its final status is one of the thorniest issues in the Middle East peace process.
In a decision that had been keenly anticipated since a hearing on the issue in November last year, the court upheld the White House's right to ignore Congress' attempt to force the issue.
"The provision forces the president, through the secretary of state, to identify, upon request, citizens born in Jerusalem as being born in Israel when, as a matter of United States policy, neither Israel nor any other country is acknowledged as having sovereignty over Jerusalem," the court said in a ruling presented by Justice Anthony Kennedy.
Six of the nine Supreme Court judges, including the three Jewish members of the bench, backed the ruling, but Chief Justice John Roberts objected.
"Today's decision is a first: never before has this court accepted a president's direct defiance of an act of Congress in the field of foreign affairs," he argued.
Bush signed Congress' 2002 bill into law, but accompanied his assent with a note objecting to the clause authorizing Jerusalem-born US citizens to request "Israel" be written in their passports.
Reacting to the decision Monday, spokesman for the Palestinian presidency Nabil Abu Rudeina said the ruling was "in harmony with international legitimacy."
Abu Rudeina told WAFA news that the decision comes in accordance with the UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions especially the latest resolution to recognize Palestine as an observer state. He added that the decision sent a clear message that Israel occupies East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
7 june 2015
Scores of Jewish settlers forced their way into Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem Sunday, a Palestinian official said.
"At least 35 Jewish settlers, backed by Israeli police, stormed al-Aqsa mosque through Al-Mugharbeh gate," Sheikh Omar al-Qiswani, the director of Al-Aqsa Mosque, told reporters today. "The Jewish settlers toured the complex, passing by the Al-Qibali and Al-Marwani mosques, before leaving from Al-Rahmeh gate."
Qiswani added that the settlers tried to perform Talmudic Rituals near the Dome of the Rock mosque, but the Muslim worshipers prevented them.
For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world's third holiest site.
Jews, for their part, refer to the area as the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two prominent Jewish temples in ancient times.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 war. It later annexed the holy city in 1980, claiming it as the capital of the self-proclaimed Jewish state – a move never recognised by the international community.
In September 2000, a visit to the site by controversial Israeli leader Ariel Sharon sparked what later became known as the "Second Intifada" – a popular uprising against the Israeli occupation in which thousands of Palestinians were killed.
"At least 35 Jewish settlers, backed by Israeli police, stormed al-Aqsa mosque through Al-Mugharbeh gate," Sheikh Omar al-Qiswani, the director of Al-Aqsa Mosque, told reporters today. "The Jewish settlers toured the complex, passing by the Al-Qibali and Al-Marwani mosques, before leaving from Al-Rahmeh gate."
Qiswani added that the settlers tried to perform Talmudic Rituals near the Dome of the Rock mosque, but the Muslim worshipers prevented them.
For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world's third holiest site.
Jews, for their part, refer to the area as the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two prominent Jewish temples in ancient times.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 war. It later annexed the holy city in 1980, claiming it as the capital of the self-proclaimed Jewish state – a move never recognised by the international community.
In September 2000, a visit to the site by controversial Israeli leader Ariel Sharon sparked what later became known as the "Second Intifada" – a popular uprising against the Israeli occupation in which thousands of Palestinians were killed.
4 june 2015
A female Israeli settler ran over a Palestinian youth on Thursday morning, near the West Bank city of Salfit.
Witnesses said that the settler approached the youth while he was walking on the platform of the main street in the city. “She hit him and ran away,” an eyewitness said, according to Days of Palestine.
Palestinian medical sources said that the man identified as Ahmed Sultan, age 22, was evacuated to Angelical Hospital in Nablus, by a Palestinian ambulance.
Palestinian medical sources said the youth is suffering from a broken leg, face bruises and internal bleeding, as a result of the collision.
Israeli police said it would open investigation into the incident, but the family of the youth doubted the Israeli intention to achieve justice in the case.
“Based on many many previous cases, the remarks about opening investigations into similar incidents just were made to hung on,” the mother of the youth said.
Such incidents are common in the occupied West Bank, often targeting small children.
Israeli settler runs over Palestinian causing him fractures and internal bleeding
An Israeli settler on Thursday ran over a Palestinian youngsters near southern West Bank city of Salfit.Witnesses said that the settler’s vehicle approached the Palestinian while he was walking on the platform of the main street in the city, according to Days of Palestine news outlet.
“She hit him and ran away,” an eyewitness said.
The victim was identified as Ahmed Sultan, 22, and was rushed to the Angelical Hospital in Nablus by a Palestinian ambulance. Palestinian medics said he sustained moderate injuries; leg fraction, face bruises and internal bleeding.
Days of Palestine reported that Israeli police said it would open investigation into the incident, but the family of the youth doubted the Israeli intention to achieve justice in the case.
“Based on many many previous cases, the remarks about opening investigations into similar incidents just were made to hung on,” the mother of the youth said.
Witnesses said that the settler approached the youth while he was walking on the platform of the main street in the city. “She hit him and ran away,” an eyewitness said, according to Days of Palestine.
Palestinian medical sources said that the man identified as Ahmed Sultan, age 22, was evacuated to Angelical Hospital in Nablus, by a Palestinian ambulance.
Palestinian medical sources said the youth is suffering from a broken leg, face bruises and internal bleeding, as a result of the collision.
Israeli police said it would open investigation into the incident, but the family of the youth doubted the Israeli intention to achieve justice in the case.
“Based on many many previous cases, the remarks about opening investigations into similar incidents just were made to hung on,” the mother of the youth said.
Such incidents are common in the occupied West Bank, often targeting small children.
Israeli settler runs over Palestinian causing him fractures and internal bleeding
An Israeli settler on Thursday ran over a Palestinian youngsters near southern West Bank city of Salfit.Witnesses said that the settler’s vehicle approached the Palestinian while he was walking on the platform of the main street in the city, according to Days of Palestine news outlet.
“She hit him and ran away,” an eyewitness said.
The victim was identified as Ahmed Sultan, 22, and was rushed to the Angelical Hospital in Nablus by a Palestinian ambulance. Palestinian medics said he sustained moderate injuries; leg fraction, face bruises and internal bleeding.
Days of Palestine reported that Israeli police said it would open investigation into the incident, but the family of the youth doubted the Israeli intention to achieve justice in the case.
“Based on many many previous cases, the remarks about opening investigations into similar incidents just were made to hung on,” the mother of the youth said.
By Khalid Amayreh
The three Jewish terrorists who last year abducted and burned alive a young Palestinian boy from a refugee camp near Jerusalem on Wednesday recounted their shocking crime before Jerusalem court.
The three settlers murdered Muhammad Abu Khdeir from the Shufat refugee camp north of Jerusalem in early July 2014, allegedly to avenge the killing, ostensibly by Palestinian militants of three settlers a few weeks earlier.
According to their testimonies, the three abducted the 13-year-old boy, beat him on the head using a hard object, and took him to a nearby wood where thy pumped gasoline into his belly. Then they poured more gasoline all over his body before setting him on fire.
Afterward, the three reportedly headed to a Jewish colony in the West Bank where they had a party to celebrate their crime.
In an effort to receive a lenient sentence, one of the murderers claimed that he didn't know "things would turn out this way."
However, it was clear from the beginning that none of the three murderers tried to stop the murder of the innocent Arab boy.
The Israeli justice system, dominated by Talmudic-minded settlers who believe the lives of non-Jews have no sanctity, routinely pass extremely lenient prison sentences on Jews convicted of murdering non-Jews, particularly Palestinians.
In many cases, the courts concoct "extenuating circumstances" in the murderer's or murderers' favor, such as accepting claims that the murder was carried out in self-defense.
And when it is established beyond any reasonable doubt that the crime was committed premeditatedly and with a malicious intent, the judge, nearly always, accepts a plea bargain claim that the murderer has or had mental or psychological problems and that he didn't fully understand what he was doing.
Yosef Ben-David was the driving force behind abduction and killing of the Arab teen Mohammed Abu Khdeir in July 2014, one of two minors accused of the killing told Jerusalem District Court on Wednesday, but said he never believed that it would end up in murder.
"It's shocking," the minor said. "It's hard for me to believe that I was party to such a horrific incident. It’s simply not true that I planned to kill him. I never dreamed that it would end in the way that it did."
One of the murderers, a minor whose name was not released by court order, reportedly told the court that Yosef Ben-David, from the settlement of Adam in the West Bank, decided to murder any Arab to avenge the death of the tree settlers.
"Ben-David was at the boys' funerals," the minor said. "He was much more enthusiastic and heated up. We met at the central bus station, bought some cigarettes and drank energy drinks to spur us on."
In his own testimony, which was obtained by Ynet last year, 30-year-old Ben-David said that, "We decided we had to take revenge for what they did. (We) were saying, 'Let's avenge,' I said my blood was boiling and he said his blood was boiling and the whole country was silent and we were wondering why they did this to them, and what had they been guilty of?"
The minor murderer told the court that on the night of Abu Khdeir's murder, "We went to the International Convention Center then he (Ben-David) already started talking about wanting to pick someone up in his car and beat him. He gave us pills to calm us down. The other youth and I said it was dangerous. We drove around for hours. He stopped next to five small children and every time we were looking for a way to get out of it. I was distressed over the children."
He described how they forced Abu Khdeir into their car.
"I was sure he would let us (the two minors) off on the side of the road. I didn't think he would take him into the woods and beat him there. I thought he would drop it. There was shouting in the car and there was tension. We reached the Jerusalem Forest, and the whole trip we held him from behind. Ben-David asked where the crowbar was, and said that they (the Arabs) have seven souls, then he gave him two blows to the head with the crowbar."
"I said to Ben-David 'enough!'," the accused continued. "I got into the car and suddenly I saw a huge bonfire and understood the meaning. I didn't see with my own eyes that it was Yosef who lit it, but from what was said, he lit it."
Ben-David, the master murderer, reportedly told police last year that he had set Abu Khdeir alight. According to the pathological report, the Arab boy was burnt alive.
"I gave the boy three kicks to the legs, then I took a lighter, I set the boy alight.
The minor told the court that after Abu Khdeir had been killed, "we went to Sacher Park to conceal the evidence. Ben-David gave me instructions on what to do and then went to his home in Adam (a West Bank settlement)."
As mentioned before, Jewish murderers convicted of murdering non-Jews normally receive extremely lenient prison sentences. For example, a Rabi named Moshe Levinger who murdered a Palestinian shopkeeper in 1988 in downtown Hebron was sentenced to 6 months in jail.
According to Israeli sources, the rabbi, who died last month, served only a few days in jail before he was set free.
The three Jewish terrorists who last year abducted and burned alive a young Palestinian boy from a refugee camp near Jerusalem on Wednesday recounted their shocking crime before Jerusalem court.
The three settlers murdered Muhammad Abu Khdeir from the Shufat refugee camp north of Jerusalem in early July 2014, allegedly to avenge the killing, ostensibly by Palestinian militants of three settlers a few weeks earlier.
According to their testimonies, the three abducted the 13-year-old boy, beat him on the head using a hard object, and took him to a nearby wood where thy pumped gasoline into his belly. Then they poured more gasoline all over his body before setting him on fire.
Afterward, the three reportedly headed to a Jewish colony in the West Bank where they had a party to celebrate their crime.
In an effort to receive a lenient sentence, one of the murderers claimed that he didn't know "things would turn out this way."
However, it was clear from the beginning that none of the three murderers tried to stop the murder of the innocent Arab boy.
The Israeli justice system, dominated by Talmudic-minded settlers who believe the lives of non-Jews have no sanctity, routinely pass extremely lenient prison sentences on Jews convicted of murdering non-Jews, particularly Palestinians.
In many cases, the courts concoct "extenuating circumstances" in the murderer's or murderers' favor, such as accepting claims that the murder was carried out in self-defense.
And when it is established beyond any reasonable doubt that the crime was committed premeditatedly and with a malicious intent, the judge, nearly always, accepts a plea bargain claim that the murderer has or had mental or psychological problems and that he didn't fully understand what he was doing.
Yosef Ben-David was the driving force behind abduction and killing of the Arab teen Mohammed Abu Khdeir in July 2014, one of two minors accused of the killing told Jerusalem District Court on Wednesday, but said he never believed that it would end up in murder.
"It's shocking," the minor said. "It's hard for me to believe that I was party to such a horrific incident. It’s simply not true that I planned to kill him. I never dreamed that it would end in the way that it did."
One of the murderers, a minor whose name was not released by court order, reportedly told the court that Yosef Ben-David, from the settlement of Adam in the West Bank, decided to murder any Arab to avenge the death of the tree settlers.
"Ben-David was at the boys' funerals," the minor said. "He was much more enthusiastic and heated up. We met at the central bus station, bought some cigarettes and drank energy drinks to spur us on."
In his own testimony, which was obtained by Ynet last year, 30-year-old Ben-David said that, "We decided we had to take revenge for what they did. (We) were saying, 'Let's avenge,' I said my blood was boiling and he said his blood was boiling and the whole country was silent and we were wondering why they did this to them, and what had they been guilty of?"
The minor murderer told the court that on the night of Abu Khdeir's murder, "We went to the International Convention Center then he (Ben-David) already started talking about wanting to pick someone up in his car and beat him. He gave us pills to calm us down. The other youth and I said it was dangerous. We drove around for hours. He stopped next to five small children and every time we were looking for a way to get out of it. I was distressed over the children."
He described how they forced Abu Khdeir into their car.
"I was sure he would let us (the two minors) off on the side of the road. I didn't think he would take him into the woods and beat him there. I thought he would drop it. There was shouting in the car and there was tension. We reached the Jerusalem Forest, and the whole trip we held him from behind. Ben-David asked where the crowbar was, and said that they (the Arabs) have seven souls, then he gave him two blows to the head with the crowbar."
"I said to Ben-David 'enough!'," the accused continued. "I got into the car and suddenly I saw a huge bonfire and understood the meaning. I didn't see with my own eyes that it was Yosef who lit it, but from what was said, he lit it."
Ben-David, the master murderer, reportedly told police last year that he had set Abu Khdeir alight. According to the pathological report, the Arab boy was burnt alive.
"I gave the boy three kicks to the legs, then I took a lighter, I set the boy alight.
The minor told the court that after Abu Khdeir had been killed, "we went to Sacher Park to conceal the evidence. Ben-David gave me instructions on what to do and then went to his home in Adam (a West Bank settlement)."
As mentioned before, Jewish murderers convicted of murdering non-Jews normally receive extremely lenient prison sentences. For example, a Rabi named Moshe Levinger who murdered a Palestinian shopkeeper in 1988 in downtown Hebron was sentenced to 6 months in jail.
According to Israeli sources, the rabbi, who died last month, served only a few days in jail before he was set free.
The Israeli Internal Security Service (Shin Bet) and the Police in Jerusalem have officially announced, Thursday, the identity of the Palestinian who allegedly stabbed, on May 24, two Israelis near the Damascus Gate.
The Jerusalem Post stated that the Police released, Thursday, previously sealed details on the attack.
The Shin Bet said the attacker, identified as John Kakish, 19 years of age, is a Palestinian Christian from the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem, and that he confessed during interrogation that he wanted “to take revenge on the Jews,” according to the report.
The incident in question came during the Shavuot Jewish holiday; the Shin Bet said John was arrested several times before allegedly for “other assaults on Israelis.”
Following the stabbing, Israeli paramedics of Magen David Adom said the two Israelis, 17 years of age, suffered moderate injuries and were moved to Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital.
Israeli sources said the attack took place around 2:30 a.m. on May 24, “as the two were likely towards the Western Wall.”
The sources added that Kakish was identified as he appeared on a security camera footage reportedly trying to escape after stabbing the two Israelis, and that the police located, near the stabbing site, a knife and other items that tie Kakish to the attack.
According to the Shin Bet, Kakish told the interrogators that he carried the attack out after being subject to a number of assaults, and racist slogans by Israeli fanatics.
Video of latest Jerusalem stabbing released
Israeli press afternoon Thursday released previously sealed details about the May 24 stabbing of two Israeli settlers in Jerusalem’s Old City while they were en route to all-night study sessions.
According to the Shin Bet, the suspect, John Kakish, a 19-year-old Christian living in the Old City, confessed to carrying out the overnight attack to “take revenge on Israeli settlers.”
In a statement, the security agency said that during questioning Kakish admitted the attack was retaliation for violence and racism carried out in the Old City by Israeli settlers.
Following the attack, the two extremist settlers were treated at the scene by Israeli paramedics for light wounds to their upper backs and transferred to Hadassah University Medical Center in Ein Kerem in satisfactory condition.
At the time, the two Israeli settlers were among thousands of fanatic Jews residing in illegal settlements across the Occupied Palestinian territories and heading to all-night study sessions.
Kakish was apprehended in his home after occupation police reviewed closed-circuit security footage taken at the scene shortly after the attack.
Some 14 stabbing and run over attacks have been recorded in Occupied Jerusalem city over the past six months in response to racism and violence perpetrated by Israeli vandals.
Radical Jewish attacks against Palestinian Christians have been on the rise. The attacks range from verbal abuse to serious property damage.
The Jerusalem Post stated that the Police released, Thursday, previously sealed details on the attack.
The Shin Bet said the attacker, identified as John Kakish, 19 years of age, is a Palestinian Christian from the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem, and that he confessed during interrogation that he wanted “to take revenge on the Jews,” according to the report.
The incident in question came during the Shavuot Jewish holiday; the Shin Bet said John was arrested several times before allegedly for “other assaults on Israelis.”
Following the stabbing, Israeli paramedics of Magen David Adom said the two Israelis, 17 years of age, suffered moderate injuries and were moved to Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital.
Israeli sources said the attack took place around 2:30 a.m. on May 24, “as the two were likely towards the Western Wall.”
The sources added that Kakish was identified as he appeared on a security camera footage reportedly trying to escape after stabbing the two Israelis, and that the police located, near the stabbing site, a knife and other items that tie Kakish to the attack.
According to the Shin Bet, Kakish told the interrogators that he carried the attack out after being subject to a number of assaults, and racist slogans by Israeli fanatics.
Video of latest Jerusalem stabbing released
Israeli press afternoon Thursday released previously sealed details about the May 24 stabbing of two Israeli settlers in Jerusalem’s Old City while they were en route to all-night study sessions.
According to the Shin Bet, the suspect, John Kakish, a 19-year-old Christian living in the Old City, confessed to carrying out the overnight attack to “take revenge on Israeli settlers.”
In a statement, the security agency said that during questioning Kakish admitted the attack was retaliation for violence and racism carried out in the Old City by Israeli settlers.
Following the attack, the two extremist settlers were treated at the scene by Israeli paramedics for light wounds to their upper backs and transferred to Hadassah University Medical Center in Ein Kerem in satisfactory condition.
At the time, the two Israeli settlers were among thousands of fanatic Jews residing in illegal settlements across the Occupied Palestinian territories and heading to all-night study sessions.
Kakish was apprehended in his home after occupation police reviewed closed-circuit security footage taken at the scene shortly after the attack.
Some 14 stabbing and run over attacks have been recorded in Occupied Jerusalem city over the past six months in response to racism and violence perpetrated by Israeli vandals.
Radical Jewish attacks against Palestinian Christians have been on the rise. The attacks range from verbal abuse to serious property damage.