Adam Bashir was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Monday morning for his involvement in the 2021 lynch attempt on Mor Janashvili in Acre, Israeli Media reported.
The district court in Haifa convicted 25-year-old Bashir of the charge of terror assault with the intent to do harm after he threw a rock at Janashvili's car and then broke a window with a club in order to seriously hurt or maim Janashvili because of a nationalistic and ideological motive.
"It can't be that a Jew walks with an Israeli flag in Israel and is almost killed."
Mor Janashvili
The full sentence
Bashir additionally received a suspended sentence of one year and was ordered to pay damages totaling NIS 150,000.
According to Ynet, at the reading of the sentence, Janashvili broke down in tears, saying: "This is a very moving moment. This is what I wanted - a ten years."
The State Attorney demanded a 10-13 years prison sentence, while Bashir's attorney had demanded four years in prison at the most.
"I regret what I did and I am ashamed of it," said Bashir after receiving his sentence.
Janashvili walked out of the courtroom holding an Israeli flag and said, "I thank the judges for the verdict. We are not in the diaspora. It can't be that a Jew walks with an Israeli flag in Israel and is almost killed."
The 2021 riots
After Bashir's attack, Janashvili crashed his car in an attempt to flee. While getting out of the car he was attacked by a mob of people, six of whom are also accused of involvement in the lynching and await sentencing.
The life of Janashvili was saved by the Arab Galilee Medical Center nurse Fadi Kasem, who shielded him with his own body and eventually drove him to the hospital.
The lynching happened in May of 2021, while a series of riots rocked the country during the Operation Guardian of the Walls. After four days of rioting in Acre, more than 60 Jewish-owned businesses were destroyed or looted there.