The Supreme Court does not accept the version of three defendants, who claim an Arab farmer intentionally set a field ablaze. The court seems to be leaning towards the farmer’s version, that he accidentally started a fire and when he requested water from the Jews to extinguish the blaze, he was brutally attacked without justification.

The court ruled that Lior Ben-David, Mordechai Azuriel and Eyal Rachamim, who reside in a Chevron Hills outpost, must be barred from areas in Yehuda and Shomron and were sent to house arrest to reside with relatives within Green Line Israel. The High Court made the decision, reversing the decision of the Beersheva District Court.

The prosecution maintains that when Madahat Abu-Kirash asked for water to extinguish the blaze, which he carelessly began by dropping a match, he was beaten and bound and at one point, lost consciousness. According to the state, the attack against the victim lasted for almost 40 minutes.

The three defendants are facing a multi-count indictment, including assault, kidnapping and assaulting a public official, relating to their alleged assault against an IDF soldier, who the court describes as a member of a minority population. The prosecution alleges the three made defamatory remarks at the soldier and shoved him too.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)