Three residents of the Israeli Arab municipality of Shfaram were sentenced to prison terms by the Haifa District Court on Thursday, 25 Kislev 5774 for their part in the killing of IDF soldier Eden Natan-Zada in 2005.

Zada, an AWOL soldier opened fire in the bus traveling through the predominately Israeli Arab area, murdering four. The defendants sentenced to prison terms took part in the beating death of the soldier after he was restrained. The defendants in the case were convicted in the summer. Three of them were sentenced to two years in prison for attempted manslaughter and two others were lighter sentences. The sixth defendant was given probation as Justice Ilan Schiff explained “The State of Israel cannot tolerate retribution”.

Hundreds of Shfaram residents were outside the courthouse and they became violent when sentencing was pronounced. They began throwing rocks in the area. Police came under fire with stones, reporting nine arrests were made.

MK (Hadash) Muhmad Barakeh rejected the court’s sentencing, calling it “unjust”, vowing to take the case to the international community. “We said prior to the court’s decision and we say now, after it, that any ruling other than total acquittal is unjust and we cannot accept it. The court convicted the victim and his representatives. The main event of that day was the murders of four innocent people and the injuring of 11 others by the murderer. Today’s conviction is a political one.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)