Deliberation scheduled on appeal in Zemora case

Tuesday, March 5, 2019, 8:12 At 13:30 on Tuesday, March 5, a deliberation will take place at the Ofer Military Court on the appeal filed by the Military Advocate General on the decision to convict the terrorist who stabbed Nirit Zemora of only aggravated assault. The terrorist was exonerated of attempted murder because the knife broke during the stabbing and according to the judges it was not possible to prove that the terrorist had intended to murder Nirit Zemora.
Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher, who is representing Zemora as a victim of terror, stated that, “The appeal is of fundamental importance. The outcome of the appeal will have wide-ranging ramifications concerning many cases being tried at the military courts. The central question is whether or not a terrorist must admit unequivocally to the interrogators that he came to murder Jews in order to charge him with murder or attempted murder, or if the very act of carrying out a terror attack in the name of Islam is enough for us to understand that he had only one goal: to kill us and to threaten our existence in Israel.
“In many cases terrorists who are being tried for murder are represented by attorneys from the Palestinian Authority. Recently it was revealed that some of them are terrorists themselves, and they instruct the murderers as to how to fabricate false accounts. A situation has unfolded in which numerous cases of brutal attacks, according to the present methods, will result in the exoneration of the terrorists. In the name of the injured and in the name of the citizens of Israel who have a will to live, we demand that the appellate court judge the terrorists equitably and put them behind bars for the rest of their lives.”
Update: Deliberation postponed
12:50 The deliberation scheduled to take place today (Tuesday) at the Ofer Military Court on the appeal on the penalty of the terrorist who stabbed Nirit Zemora has been postponed.
The victims of terror were on their way to the courthouse when they were informed that the terrorist’s attorney had announced that he was striking in response to the detention of another attorney who represents terrorists, Tariq Bargut, who was detained one week previously with the terrorist Zakaria Zubeidi following involvement with terror organization. This is the second time that a striking defense attorney has caused a last-minute postponement of a deliberation.
Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher, who is assisting the victims of terror, stated that, “Once again the defense attorneys of terrorists are disrupting the workings of the military court, as they identify with convicted terrorists and with those detained over terror. In general, the defense attorneys from the Palestinian Authority do not pass any Israeli security clearance or authorization. These defense attorneys have access to security sensitive materials and constitute a serious danger to security. Recently we have seen several instances of a clear connection between defense attorneys and acts of terror and terrorists.
“We demand that this oversight be corrected and that the connection between defense attorneys and terrorists, beyond representation in the courthouses, be examined. When warranted, defense attorneys must be detained or distanced. Heavy fines must be imposed on defense attorneys who time after time disrespect the court and greatly harm victims of terror and their families.”
Nirit Zemora, who was severely injured by the terrorist, stated that, “Today at 13:30 a deliberation was supposed to be held on the appeal of the ruling of the penalty imposed on the terrorist who attempted to murder me approximately three and a half years ago. Already one deliberation was canceled because the previous evening the terrorist’s attorney announced his absence due to sickness.
“Now, at twelve o’clock, we are still waiting for the court to decide if there is going to be a deliberation today, because the terrorist’s attorney has decided to go on strike.
“Of course we regard this as contempt of court, and of me personally as a victim of terror. We have been waiting for a long time for the court to decide, and every postponement such as this causes us damage. We hope that the court takes all of this into account.”
In the course of the trial the terrorist was exonerated of attempted murder and convicted only of aggravated assault, because the knife broke during the stabbing and according to the judges it was not possible to prove that the terrorist had intended to murder Nirit Zemora.