Yosef Haim Ben-David has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir. In 2015, Ben-David, the ringleader of a Jewish gang had attempted to plead insanity after three Israeli judges had convicted two of his accomplices of burning Abu Khdeir alive.
Yosef Haim Ben-David‘s attempt to appear insane has failed, for an Israeli court has sentenced him to life in prison for the horrific killing of 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khdeir. Additionally, Ben-David has been handed 20 years behind bars for a series of other crimes.
Ben-David has been ordered to pay 150,000 shekels or $39,000 to Abu Khdeir’s family. The teen’s relatives lashed out at the Jewish gang leader after the verdict was read. Before being taken away in shackles, Ben-David told the family:
“I am sorry for the family. This is not me. I wasn’t in control.”
Abu Khdeir’s father, Hussein, said before the verdict was announced that no punishment would be enough. The grieving man said:
“Whatever they decide, our wounds will not heal – the boy will not come back.”
As previously reported, in June 2014, Abu Khdeir was abducted as he was entering a mosque and later killed. Two teenagers, whose identities have not been released, were found guilty of kidnapping, beating, and burning Abu Khdeir alive – claims that have always been denied by the duo, who say that Ben-David acted alone. It is believed that Mohammad Abu Khdeir was murdered out of revenge for the killings of three Israeli teenagers.
In January, the young men, both 18, were sentenced to life and 21 years in prison for the murder. In November of 2015, the 31-year-old shocked the world with a last-minute insanity appeal, just minutes before the end of the trial by proclaiming to be the “Messiah.” He also stated that he was not criminally responsible for his actions, but the claim was rejected by the judges.
State Prosecutor Uri Korb, who was not amused by Ben-David’s theatricals said at the hearing:
“This is an evil and cruel man who does not represent our civilised society, the killing brought shame upon our society and offended our values.”
The verdict was revealed during very high tension in the country. According to local media, a Palestinian teenager was arrested in Jerusalem’s Old City, suspected of stabbing a 60-year-old Jewish man. A Palestinian from a refugee camp near Ramallah in the West Bank rammed his car into a group of Israeli soldiers, injuring three of them.
According to the Palestinian health ministry – the attacker, 36-year-old Ahmed Shehada, from the Qalandia refugee camp, was killed by the police.
