Israeli military court sentence teenagers to a total of 10 years for smashing a settler's car window

An Israeli court has issued severe sentences against eight Palestinian minors (aged less than 16 years old) who were arrested more than a year ago for throwing stones which broke a settler’s car window.

Anti-settlements Palestinian activist, Mohamed Awad, said that the Ofer Israeli Military Court issued sentences and fines against the teenagers from Bait Umar based on evidence extracted by torture and threats.

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He said that the total length of sentences issued by the Israeli military court against the Palestinian teenagers for smashing a car window makes up ten years and 26,000 shekels in fines (equivalent to $7,000 US).

The eight, who were arrested on March 6, 2012, are Aish Khaled Awad, 16, sentenced to 18 months in prison; Bilal Mahmoud Awad, sentenced to 16 months. Five others; Ahmed Eesa El Saleeby, Sami Amer, Basel Khaled Hassan, Said Emad Saleeby, and Mohab Jawdat Aady — were all sentenced to 14 months. Zein Hisham Khalil Abu Maria was sentenced to 11 months.

Awad said that such controversial sentences “came in light of settlers’ continued attacks on Beit Umar and a number of Palestinian villages and towns.

Those attacks were documented with the photos, often by the settlers themselves; yet they were not deemed serious enough to indict any settler. Even murders were justified, and settlers were released under the pretext of self-defence, as in case of the murdered school-boy, Yousef Fakhry Khalil.”