Kfar Duma Case – Articles, Videos, Podcasts

Kfar Duma Case – Articles, Videos, Podcasts
Since the July 2015 arson attack on the Dawabshe family’s house in Kfar Duma, Honenu has assisted many Jews accused of involvement with the crime. For a selection of posts describing Honenu Attorneys’ representation of defendants and GSS interrogatees, see here. To familiarize our readers with the case, Honenu has gathered – see below – various articles and short videos on the subject.

Help prove Amiram Ben Uliel’s innocence
After a confession extracted under torture, Amiram Ben Uliel was convicted of three counts of murder in the Kfar Duma arson case. In an emotional video – see below – Orian, Amiram’s wife, decries the injustice of the case and announces a campaign to prove the innocence of her husband. To that end, a dedicated team of first-rate attorneys has been formed for the specific purpose of appealing to the Supreme Court. Although the campaign is over, the need for support continues. Please help fund the costs of the appeal to the Supreme Court by giving a donation to Honenu earmarked “for Amiram Ben Uliel”.

Orian and her daughter, Video credit: Asir Zion (See here for the Hebrew version.)

1) Orian, the wife of Amiram Ben Uliel, tells her side in a 16 minute Zoom talk. A translation is provided.

2) Confessions obtained under torture are not a substitute for investigation by G. van Gelder

3) What is the value of confessions made under torture? by Prof. Boaz Sangero

4) Duma, guilt by conjecture? by Dr. Martin Sherman

5) Duma: Coerced confessions through an American lens, by Nat Lewin, Attorney

6) Into the fray: Duma-one year (and three arson attacks) later, by Dr. Martin Sherman

7) Into the fray: Duma, dirty dancing & deeply disturbing detention, by Dr. Martin Sherman

8) ‘Worth 1,000 words’ Duma suspect reveals ‘suicide attempt’ scars, by Arutz Sheva Staff

9) Duma case: Findings don’t match confession, by Arutz Sheva Staff

10) Should Democracies Use ‘Enhanced Interrogations’ On Its Own Citizens? by Itamar Ben Givir

11) Sexual Harassment by Shabak Interrogators and Minor’s Suicide Attempt Revealed in Duma Case, by David Israel

12) Father of tortured Israeli youth speaks out, by Yoni Kempinski & M. Sones

Hebrew videos pointing out problems with the case:
Credits go to:
1) Asir Zion – The reenactment of the crime is heavily criticized
2-6) “Inouim B’Mishpat Duma” – This is the series “Exposing the Duma Blood Libel”

1) New developments in the Duma case    3 min 14 sec

2) Part 1    4 min 22

3) Part 2    4 min 10 sec

4) Part 3    2 min 6 sec

5) Part 4    3 min 55 sec

6) Part 5    2 min 25 sec

Honenu’s podcast: In Pursuit of Justice

Honenu hosted four episodes of a Hebrew-language podcast, HaMerdaf Aharei HaTzedek (In Pursuit of Justice), focusing on the Kfar Duma case. The varied interviewees, who are well acquainted with the case from different angles, shed light on the interesting and diverse aspects of the case: legal, social, and communal.

Episode 1: In the first episode, Honenu’s Ori Kirshenbaum hosted HaAretz journalist Chaim Levinson, and they discussed the investigation of the Kfar Duma arson and the torture – under the protection of the law – to which the interrogated detainees were subjected by the GSS. Levinson covered events in Yehuda and Shomron at the time of the Kfar Duma arson and was one of the first journalists on the scene hours after the incident.

A summary of the first podcast, in English, is here. Links to the first episode – Hebrew only:
YouTube, Episode 1
Spotify, Episode 1
Anchor, Episode 1

Episode 2: In the second episode, Honenu’s Ori Kirshenbaum hosted Attorney Yoram Sheftel, who represented Amiram Ben Uliel in the early stage of his trial. Sheftel explained why he left the Kfar Duma arson case and described the distortions of justice that he found in the handling of the case by the court throughout the trial. For example (all translation by Honenu): “… [T]he judicial system did not succeed in differentiating between terrorists of Fatah, Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad and what one could at most categorize ‘a hate crime’.”

A summary of the second podcast, in English, is here. Links to the second episode – Hebrew only:
YouTube, Episode 2
Spotify, Episode 2
Anchor, Episode 2

Episode 3: In the third episode, Honenu’s Ori Kirshenbaum hosted Professor Boaz Sangero, a leading authority in criminal law, who stated that “Israeli criminal law – not pleasant to say it – lags behind,” and addressed Amiram Ben Uliel’s conviction in the Kfar Duma arson case, which horrified him.

A summary of the third podcast, in English, is here. Links to the third episode – Hebrew only:
YouTube, Episode 3
Spotify, Episode 3
Anchor, Episode 3

Episode 4: In the fourth episode, Honenu’s Ori Kirshenbaum hosted Attorney Moshe Poleski, an expert in criminal law and Honenu’s Trial and Indictments Department Manager, who spoke on numerous topics, including the Kfar Duma arson case, human rights, and administrative orders.

A summary of the fourth podcast, in English, is here. Links to the fourth episode – Hebrew only:
YouTube, Episode 4
Spotify, Episode 4
Anchor, Episode 4