Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher; Photo credit: Honenu
Monday, January 13, 2020, 13:14 The Jerusalem District Court ruled that two of the assailants who launched fireworks directly at the home of a Jewish family in the Old City of Jerusalem approximately one year ago will compensate the family with 305,000 NIS and also pay 40,000 NIS in attorney’s fees and legal expenses. The family filed a civil suit after two of the assailants were convicted in criminal proceedings.
The attack occurred at night, when the family, including a married daughter who was visiting with her husband and newborn baby, was at home. The family is a bereaved family, having lost a son in a terror attack in Jerusalem several years previously.
The suit described the attack: At approximately 22:00, the assailants supplied themselves with gloves and many fireworks that they had prepared, and gathered on the roof of a school near the family’s home. The masked assailants launched fireworks at the home. They exploded with a tremendous sound, were life-threatening and extremely frightening. The mother of the family, who was in the yard at the time, ran inside in a panic. The attack continued for quite some time. The assailants aimed the fireworks directly at the home, its roof, its window, its yard and its security cameras.
There were no physical injuries. However the members of the household felt that they were under attack by armed terrorists, felt threatened, and considered their lives to be in definite danger. The married daughter was resting after giving birth and her eight-day old baby woke up crying hysterically due to the noise of the exploding fireworks.
Two of the assailants were convicted in criminal proceedings and in the framework of a plea bargain were sentenced to active prison terms, given suspended sentences, and fines were imposed on them. Yet despite the severity of the attack, compensation was not awarded to the attacked family.
The suit demands compensation of a total of 305,000 NIS for racially motivated attempted aggravated assault, premeditated racially motivated attempted property damage, recklessness, and negligence.
Jerusalem District Court Judge Tamar Bar-Asher ruled that in the absence of a statement of defense, the terrorists must compensate the family with the sum stipulated in the suit and also pay 40,000 NIS in attorney’s fees and legal expenses. The ruling was handed down for two of the assailants. Legal proceedings are continuing for two other assailants.
Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher, who is representing the family: “We will continue to demand that a high price is exacted from every terrorist whose goal is to undermine our right to live a normal life in the State of Israel. This case is still being tried against two additional terrorists. There is a clear message being sent that injuring Jews is never advantageous.”