Please click here for a list of posts relating to cases in which Honenu provided legal counsel to victims of antisemitic attacks in Jerusalem.
Sunday, July 17, 2022, 9:45 Last May, several Arabs attempted to murder three Jews at Lions’ Gate during Operation Guardian of the Walls. One of the terrorists is scheduled to be brought before the parole board for a possible early release. Ephraim Shahor, one of the victims, was driving a car with two passengers when they were barraged with rocks. With the assistance of Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher, Shahor wrote a letter to the Prison Service expressing his opposition to the early release of the terrorist.
“I adamantly oppose the early release of the terrorist. He is an enemy who already at a young age revealed blatant antisemitism and attempted to murder three Jews only because they were Jews in the State of Israel. To this day, the terrorist does not recognize the State of Israel as a sovereign power and has not apologized to his victims. There is no doubt that he is a detrimental influence on those around him, and he will return to acts of terror against Jews as soon as he can. At the very least he must remain in prison until his last day on earth.”
Shahor sharply criticized the decision to bring the terrorist before the parole board: “The parole board has erred merely by scheduling a hearing regarding his release, [continuing the injustice of] the court which handed down a ridiculous penalty, and the incompetent office of the State Attorney, which did not appeal the lenient penalty. How can a terrorist who took a very active part in such a cruel attack be released after a year? Have we become like Sodom? I would like to point out that during the year since the attack, many buses have been barraged with rocks at the same site and left without one intact window. At least seven Jews have been injured.
“There is no evidence better than [the attacked buses] that their [the attackers’] penalization resulted in zero deterrence in the field and that this terrorist is an inspiration for the next terrorists to this day. The hearing for his early release is a prize for terror. You have forgotten the simple message of Torat Yisrael, that a terrorist deserves death, that an enemy must be eradicated,” wrote Shahor.
The attack; Video credit: Israel Police
Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher, who is representing Shahor, stated: “This is a terrorist who carried out an attack and received an extremely lenient penalty that damages the deterrence factor. Any attempt to release the terrorist early constitutes a prize for terror and a severe blow to the war on terror. We will continue to follow the case and do everything in our power to fight terrorists and increase deterrence.”
In the May 2021 attack, a Jewish driver and two Jewish passengers in a car were barraged with rocks near Lions’ Gate. The driver swerved, and when he had to get out of the car he was attacked by several Arabs who were at the site. He defended himself bare-handed.
The terrorist who is scheduled to appear before the parole board is a minor. He actively took part in the attack and was convicted of aggravated assault in an act of terror, throwing rocks, and racially motivated malicious assault. The Jerusalem District Court sentenced him to 20 months’ imprisonment, despite the opposition of the office of the State Attorney that demanded 30 months’ imprisonment. Currently, the terrorist is expected to stand before the parole board regarding early release.