Please click here for a list of posts relating to cases in which Honenu provided legal counsel to victims of antisemitic attacks in Jerusalem.
Arson damage; Photo courtesy of the family
Thursday, August 24, 2023, 10:23 The State Attorney’s Office announced that they would appeal the lenient penalty handed down to Muataz Haj Mahmud and Bilal Jabari, two of the terrorists who were convicted of an arson attack that took place in February 2022 on the house and car belonging to the Yoshvaev family in the Shimon HaTzadik neighborhood of Jerusalem. The Jerusalem District Court convicted Mahmud and Jabari in January and sentenced them to four and five years’ imprisonment, respectively, in June.
Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher, who is representing the Yoshvaev family, commented on the announcement: “We welcome the appeal. We do not have the privilege of yielding to terror. Terrorists threaten Israel’s existence and constantly observe Israel’s decisiveness regarding verdicts on acts of terror to help determine their future actions. Striving for stiff penalties will deter terrorists and prevent an increase in terror attacks.”
In February 2022 several terrorists hurled Molotov cocktails at the home of the Yoshvaev family in the Shimon HaTzadik neighborhood of Jerusalem. The flames set fire to the home, the fire being particularly fierce in the children’s bedroom. Fortunately, the family was not at home at the time. For this incident and other attacks on the family’s house, Haj Mahmud and Jabari were indicted for arson, weapon production, carrying a weapon, racially and maliciously motivated damage, attempted arson as an act of terror, aggravated assault as an act of terror, and operating a weapon as an act of terror.
Arson damage; Video courtesy of the family
Since Operation Guardian of the Walls, the Yoshvaev family has suffered close to 20 acts of terror including fireworks shot from point-blank range at their sukka while Tal was sleeping in it, nine vehicular arson attacks, two Molotov cocktails thrown at their house, an array of fireworks launched at their yard, and many bottles of paint thrown at their car. For more details, see here and here. In February, the police closed off the home of the Yoshvaev family to guests and visitors, including workers who were needed to repair arson damage. The barriers were removed in March in light of a petition to the High Court of Justice.