Israeli West Bank youth sentenced to jail for posing 'national security' risk
The Justice Ministry said that crimes were "ideological" in nature and added that the jail sentences were necessary in order to deter future incidences.
By JPOST.COM STAFFUpdated: JANUARY 7, 2016 16:19A young Jewish settler (R) speaks with an Israeli police officer near buildings slated for demolition in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Beit El(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Lod District Court sentenced six youth, including four minors, to eight months in prison after accepting a plea bargain which accused the suspects of rock throwing, vandalism and the "the disruption of police work," according to the Justice Ministry Thursday.The youths, all residents of the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar, located near Nablus, carried out a number of attacks against Israeli security forces in the summer of 2013, the Ministry added, burning tires and lobbing stones at police officers while patrolling the Samaria region of the West Bank.The Justice Ministry said that the crimes were "ideological" in nature and the youth posed a serious risk to "the rule of law" and "national security."The court agreed with prosecutors in the case that the defendants warranted a prison term for their actions, "including the minors," as a "necessary deterrent" in order to halt similar incidences in the future.These acts were not perpetrated "by mischievous boys," the court stated in its decision. "Behind Act is an ideology ... that the country [Israel] is 'the enemy' and see violence as a legitimate means" to combat the state, the court added.