Israel’s High Court on Sunday, 8 Elul, doubled the prison sentence of border policeman Ben Deri, who was sentenced to nine-months in prison for killing a 17-year-old Palestinian teenager who was approaching soldiers following riots that took place four years ago in Bituniya. The court ruled in the appeal filed by the prosecution after Deri was sentenced. Deri was found guilty of negligent homicide.

In April 2018, a district court sentenced Deri to nine months imprisonment and a NIS 50,000 fine. The High Court panel of three justices ruled that Deri fired with “malicious intent”, with Justice Noam Solberg added that the increased sentence does not begin to reflect the severity of Deri’s actions, citing he did not use rubber bullets as he should have.

Justice Yosef Elron however opposed the decision to double the sentence, explaining a few short minutes before he was shot dead, the victim participated in violent rioting and then began approaching soldiers. Elron feels that subjectively speaking, Deri felt threatened, that his life was in danger. The rioters were pelting soldiers with stones from a distance of 60-80 meters. He feels the court must “act with caution” when addressing members of security forces, who are sent by the nation as was the case with Deri.

The third justice voted with Solberg, supporting the request to double Edri’s sentence.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)