Sunday, December 16, 2018, 8:48 The family of Major (Res.) Eliav Gelman , Hy”d, informed the Military Court in Yehuda in writing that they do not intend to attend a deliberation scheduled for 9:00 on Sunday, December 16, during the penalty phase of his murderer’s trial. The reason for their refusal is the exoneration of the terrorist from murder and his conviction on the lesser charge of manslaughter. The family regards the conviction as “a victory for terror and encouragement to carry out terror attacks”.
In their letter the family stated that, “The court saw fit to rule that despite the fact that the terrorist intentionally caused the death of Eliav, his intent remains ‘questionable’. Although he was accused of murder the court convicted him of only manslaughter. All of this is due to lack of understanding of what happens in the field and who is responsible for terror attacks.”
In their letter the family emphasized that, “Eliav was killed in the war for the right of the Jewish Nation to exist in the inheritance of their forefathers in the Land of Israel. The heinous terrorist is part of an entire system of enemies who are trying to undermine our very existence.”
The family continued: “The exoneration of the heinous terrorist from murder on the grounds that his only intent was to commit suicide constitutes an insult and a serious injury to the deceased, his family and to all of Am Yisrael. The verdict constitutes an injury to the fight for our existence in Israel. The exoneration also constitutes a serious blow to the deterrence factor against this evil enemy.”
The family also explained that although it is customary during the penalty phase of a murder trial for members of the deceased’s family to testify with regards to the deceased, his good deeds and the great void caused by his absence, the family would not attend the deliberation at the Ofer Military Court because in their opinion it constitutes a victory for terror.
“We refuse to participate in this deliberation and we regard it as a victory for terror and encouragement to carry out terror attacks. We regard all of this dealing with terror with criminal judicial consideration, without the terrorist-nationalist context, as giving support to terror and impairing the ability to eradicate terror.”
Also, “In the existing situation there is no point in the proceedings for determining the penalty, which will lead to a penalty which does not, even the slightest bit, reflect what befits the murderous terrorist. We hope that the error which was made in the verdict will be rectified, and when the murderer stands trial for murder, we will come to court and relate the extent of the void created by the absence [of Eliav] and the magnitude of the crime, and we will demand that the terrorist not ever see the sun rise. That will also assist in eradicating terror.”
The family concluded the letter by strengthening and encouraging the IDF: “We love and value the IDF, who act tirelessly and in every way possible to eradicate terror.”
Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher, who is representing the family as victims of terror: “The Gelman family has expressed the feelings of the entire public. All of the systems in the State, including the military courts, are part of the fight against the terror which threatens our existence. The overly merciful treatment and the attempt to ‘humanize’ murderers damages the deterrence factor against terror and harms the fight against terror.”
“We expect the legal system to completely change direction, and the acts of terrorists to be tried and penalized in the proper context and not in an unreal setting,” added Bleicher.
On February 24, 2016, the terrorist, Mamdouh Yusaf Amro age 26, a resident of Dura in the Har Hevron region arrived at the scene of the attack and walked towards the hitch-hiking stop at the the Etzion Bloc Junction. After arousing the suspicions of the soldiers at the junction, he started to run and waved a knife. Gelman and several civilians were waiting at the hitch-hiking stop. Gelman drew his pistol and charged the terrorist. Unfortunately Gelman was injured by “friendly fire” and tragically died of his wounds. The court ruled that the terrorist is culpable of Gelman’s death, because the shot was fired as a result of his actions.
-
Wednesday, August 7, 2024, 13:28 Yesterday (Tuesday), security forces and Civil Administration personnel destroyed four structures at Tzur Yisrael, a hilltop community in the Binyamin region. Three Yehuda and Shomron residents who protested the destruction and remained at the site a short time after the structures were destroyed were detained by the police who claimed that they had violated a closed military zone order.
-
Tuesday, August 6, 2024, 15:12 In February 2023, border police officers and Civil Administration personnel destroyed a vineyard under Jewish ownership near Shilo following a claim that it was situated on “private Palestinian land”. Dozens of protesters arrived in an attempt to prevent the destruction, among them Knesset Member Limor Son Har-Melech (Otzma Yehudit), who obstructed a tractor and was then assaulted by four border police officers.
-
Sunday, August 4, 2024, 21:33 On Sunday, a hearing for the soldiers detained at the Sde Teiman Military Base on suspicion of assaulting a Nukhba terrorist was held at the Beit Lid Military Court. Honenu Attorneys Adi Keidar and Nati Rom demanded the immediate release of the soldiers whom they are representing
-
Archives
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010