Sunday, July 14, 2019, 9:33 In accordance with a compromise agreement recently signed
Cracked windshield; Photo credit: Free use
between the two sides, Mustafa Siam will compensate a Jew whom he assaulted in the City of David neighborhood of Jerusalem seven years ago. The compensation, 13,000 NIS, includes attorney’s fees, court costs, and damages.
The incident occurred in the City of David parking lot where the claimant was accustomed to park his car every day. When he got out of his car the assailant noticed him and began to shout at him, “Jews aren’t allowed to park here,” and “Get that car out of here.” The claimant refused to move his car and started on his way to his place of work in the Old City of Jerusalem. Then the assailant threatened him: “No problem. Leave the car. You won’t have a car!”
In response to the explicit threats the claimant turned around and, using his phone, photographed the assailant. The assailant then jumped on him, pushed him and punched him in the face until his glasses broke and his shirt was torn. The claimant was injured in his forehead, face and chest.
The claimant immediately went to the Merchav David (Old City) Police Station, filed a complaint against the assailant and transferred to the police all of the photographs that he had taken. The injuries he sustained from the assault were also photographed. When the claimant returned to his car in the City of David parking lot he noticed that the windshield was cracked and there was a rock inside his car.
One week later, the claimant noticed the assailant near the City of David parking lot and called the police, who detained the assailant for interrogation. During the entire interrogation the assailant denied all charges, completely disowning his actions, despite video documentation that the police had which proved that he was responsible for the violent assault.
The assailant was released on bail. Two years later an indictment was filed against him and after a trial he was convicted in a plea bargain, in the framework of which he admitted to the facts stated in the indictment. In the plea bargain he was sentenced to two months active imprisonment and a half year suspended sentence. He was not obligated to pay monetary compensation to his victim.
The victim decided to sue Siam for the damages caused to him, among them non-financial damages and damage to the car, the shirt and the glasses. As stated above, recently the victim was awarded 13,000 NIS in compensation.
Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher: “There is no doubt that justice has been done here in that the assailant has been forced to pay with money for his actions. We believe that the message is sinking in among those who hate us: Whoever harms a Jew will not only be penalized, but will pay out of his own money in the end.”
Please see here and here for additional cases of nationalistically motivated assault in the City of David.