An indictment was handed down on Thursday, 23 Cheshvan in the Jerusalem District Court against Abed al-Aziz Meeri and his assistant in connection with the murders of Nechemia Lavie HY”D and Aharon Benita HY”D. The two were murdered in an attack near the Shar Shechem entrance to Jerusalem’s Old City.

Meeri is believed to have been the mastermind behind the attack. The indictment contains two counts of preempted and attempted murder as well as funding terrorist acts.

Last month, Mohammed Halabi turned to Meeri, asking assistance getting into Green Line Israel to visit al-Aqsa Mosque. The two went together from Abu Dis to Har Habayis. They were denied entry because they would not show their ID cards, which are from the PA (Palestinian Authority). It appears in their anger they decided to perpetrate an attack because they were refused entry to Har Habayis. Meeri then bought a knife near Shar Shechem and left Halabi to move ahead with the attack. When Meeri heard of the attack in the media, he recited a prayer of thanks. The following day he decided he too would carry out an attack, but his arrest three days later prevented this.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)