Aysha Rabi, a Palestinian mother of nine, was killed after suspected Jewish rock throwers hit her car while her husband was driving.
By YONAH JEREMY BOBUpdated: JANUARY 16, 2019 05:05Israeli youth at a West Bank outpost. An Israeli youth from a Jerusalem religious institution will be indicted in the case of a killed Palestinian woman, Aysha Rabi.(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
The prosecution is expected to file an indictment next week against a Jewish minor, “Tz” (full name under gag order), in the case of a Palestinian woman who was killed on October 12.On Tuesday, the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court extended the detention of Tz until Sunday, when the indictment is expected to be filed, and the police filed a declaration of the expected charges.A statement by police did not get into extensive detail, but did mention grave security offenses as well as the killing of Aysha Rabi.There were indications that the charge will be manslaughter, which can carry up to a 20-year jail sentence, but a Justice Ministry spokeswoman refused to confirm what the charge will be.Rabi, a mother of eight, was hit by rocks while being driven in a car by her husband near the Tapuah barrier in the West Bank and killed on October 12.With her husband beside her, she was injured when the stones struck her head and taken to the hospital where she later died.From the start, there was testimony from the Palestinian side that Jewish rock throwers had been involved, but no one had been caught until last Sunday. Four other minors were previously arrested by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), though they were released to house arrest at the end of last week.Neither the police nor the Justice Ministry would comment on what charges those four might face, if any. Adi Keidar, a lawyer for the Jewish minor expected to be indicted, said that the case against his client is weak, and based on one weak piece of forensic evidence.One issue there could be in the trial regarding securing a murder or even a manslaughter conviction is that even if there is a way to tie the minor to the rock throwing, it might be difficult to prove whether he threw the rock which killed Rabi. Another issue could be proving whether he had intent to kill or merely to harass, which would also be a crime, but could be reduced to negligent homicide.The father of Tz claimed that the head of the Yeshiva of Pri Ha’aretz, where Tz has been studying, has testified that Tz was at a Shabbat gathering at the time of the killing of Ravi – but did not provide details regarding timing. The case has reanimated the debate over the Shin Bet’s aggressive handling of Jews accused of terror with some saying they should be treated the same as Palestinian terrorists and others saying that the agency violated the suspect-minors’ rights.
