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The investigation led Shin Bet to focus on ''Pri Ha'aretz'', a religious boarding school in [[Rechelim]],<ref>Jacob Magid, [https://www.timesofisrael.com/murder-suspects-yeshiva-seen-as-a-radical-outpost-in-a-moderate-settlement/ ‘Murder suspects’ yeshiva seen as a radical bastion in a more moderate settlement],’ [[The Times of Israel]] 8 January 2019:'Pri Haaretz opened its doors in the fall of 2016 and is home to roughly 70 students. The boarding school was founded by Rabbi Yehuda Libman, a former resident of [[Yitzhar]] and student at its radical [[Od Yosef Chai]] yeshiva.'</ref> located close to where the stones were thrown.<ref name="Patel" /><ref>[https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-5370459,00.html]</ref> According to Shin Bet, far-right activists from the nearby [[Yitzhar]] settlement drove to Pri Haaretz on Saturday morning, the day after the murder, to help the students prepare for future interrogation from Israeli authorities and to avoid revealing incriminating evidence.<ref name = "jpost2019jan13">{{cite news|quote=Far-Right activists in the nearby settlement of Yitzhar drove to Pri Haaretz on that Shabbat morning in order to prepare the suspects for their questioning by the Shin Bet, and help them avoid revealing incriminating evidence while under interrogation.|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/pri-haaretz-rabbis-speak-out-against-shin-bet-577244|title=Pri Haaretz rabbis speak out against Shin Bet}}</ref> This was seen as suspicious because Saturday is the Jewish day of rest and most religious Jews would observe the religious injunction to not drive on that day.<ref name = "npr2019jan7">{{cite news|url=https://www.cpr.org/2019/01/07/israel-arrests-5-teenage-suspects-in-fatal-stoning-of-palestinian-woman/|title=Israel Arrests 5 Teenage Suspects In Fatal Stoning Of Palestinian Woman|date=January 7, 2019}}</ref>
The investigation led Shin Bet to focus on ''Pri Ha'aretz'', a religious boarding school in [[Rechelim]],<ref>Jacob Magid, [https://www.timesofisrael.com/murder-suspects-yeshiva-seen-as-a-radical-outpost-in-a-moderate-settlement/ ‘Murder suspects’ yeshiva seen as a radical bastion in a more moderate settlement],’ [[The Times of Israel]] 8 January 2019:'Pri Haaretz opened its doors in the fall of 2016 and is home to roughly 70 students. The boarding school was founded by Rabbi Yehuda Libman, a former resident of [[Yitzhar]] and student at its radical [[Od Yosef Chai]] yeshiva.'</ref> located close to where the stones were thrown.<ref name="Patel" /><ref>[https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-5370459,00.html]</ref> According to Shin Bet, far-right activists from the nearby [[Yitzhar]] settlement drove to Pri Haaretz on Saturday morning, the day after the murder, to help the students prepare for future interrogation from Israeli authorities and to avoid revealing incriminating evidence.<ref name = "jpost2019jan13">{{cite news|quote=Far-Right activists in the nearby settlement of Yitzhar drove to Pri Haaretz on that Shabbat morning in order to prepare the suspects for their questioning by the Shin Bet, and help them avoid revealing incriminating evidence while under interrogation.|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/pri-haaretz-rabbis-speak-out-against-shin-bet-577244|title=Pri Haaretz rabbis speak out against Shin Bet}}</ref> This was seen as suspicious because Saturday is the Jewish day of rest and most religious Jews would observe the religious injunction to not drive on that day.<ref name = "npr2019jan7">{{cite news|url=https://www.cpr.org/2019/01/07/israel-arrests-5-teenage-suspects-in-fatal-stoning-of-palestinian-woman/|title=Israel Arrests 5 Teenage Suspects In Fatal Stoning Of Palestinian Woman|date=January 7, 2019}}</ref>


At the end of December 2018, the Shin Bet arrested three students from Pri Ha'aretz and interrogated them for a week without allowing them to meet with attorneys. Five days later, two more students were arrested and were also prevented from metting with lawyers. On January 6, 2019, it was announced that the minors had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder.<ref>[https://www.haaretz.co.il/1.6810134]</ref> On January 10, four of the minors were released but kept under house arrest.<ref>Jacob Magid,[https://www.timesofisrael.com/court-releases-four-of-five-suspects-in-aisha-rabi-killing-to-house-arrest/ 'Court releases four of five suspects in Aisha Rabi killing to house arrest,'] [[The Times of Israel]] 10 January 2019</ref> On January 15, a Statement of Claimant was filed in court by the prosecutor on the intention to file an indictment against the minor who remained in detention.<ref>[https://www.israelhayom.co.il/article/624831]</ref>
At the end of December 2018, the Shin Bet arrested three students from Pri Ha'aretz and interrogated them for a week without allowing them to meet with attorneys. Five days later, two more students were arrested and were also prevented from metting with lawyers. On January 6, 2019, it was announced that the minors had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder.<ref>[https://www.haaretz.co.il/1.6810134]</ref> On January 10, four of the minors were released but kept under house arrest.<ref>Jacob Magid,[https://www.timesofisrael.com/court-releases-four-of-five-suspects-in-aisha-rabi-killing-to-house-arrest/ 'Court releases four of five suspects in Aisha Rabi killing to house arrest,'] [[The Times of Israel]] 10 January 2019</ref> On January 15, a Statement of Claimant was filed in court by the prosecutor on the intention to file an indictment against the 16-year-old minor who remained in detention.<ref name = "israeltimes2019may14"/><ref>[https://www.israelhayom.co.il/article/624831]</ref>


During these weeks Shin Bet came under fire from settler and pro-settler groups who accused it of torturing the suspects. Shin Bet denied the allegation and released evidence from the investigation to justify why it had to keep the minors detained. Among the evidence was an Israeli flag with a swastika drawn over the Star of David and the text "Death to Zionists" written on it.<ref name = "israeltimes2019jan6">{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/flag-daubed-death-to-zionists-found-during-arrest-of-jewish-terror-suspects/|title=Flag daubed ‘Death to Zionists’ found during arrest of Jewish terror suspects}}</ref>
During these weeks Shin Bet came under fire from settler and pro-settler groups who accused it of torturing the suspects. Shin Bet denied the allegation and released evidence from the investigation to justify why it had to keep the minors detained. Among the evidence was an Israeli flag with a swastika drawn over the Star of David and the text "Death to Zionists" written on it.<ref name = "israeltimes2019jan6">{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/flag-daubed-death-to-zionists-found-during-arrest-of-jewish-terror-suspects/|title=Flag daubed ‘Death to Zionists’ found during arrest of Jewish terror suspects}}</ref>
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On January 24, 2019, an indictment was filed against the minor on suspicion of manslaughter, stone throwing at a vehicle and intentional sabotage of a vehicle, all under the circumstances of a terrorist act. According to the indictment, the minor threw a rock that weighs close to two kilograms in order to harm vehicle passengers of Arab descent. The main evidence was a DNA sample from the suspect found on the stone that killed al-Rabi.<ref name="Paton" >Callum Paton, [https://www.newsweek.com/israeli-settler-teen-charged-murder-after-dropping-4-pound-rock-palestinian-1303023 'Israeli Settler Teen Charged With Murder After Dropping 4-Pound Rock on Palestinian Woman’s Car,'][[Newsweek]] 24 January 2019</ref><ref name="Hasson"/><ref>[https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/dna-of-jewish-teen-found-on-rock-that-killed-palestinian-woman-court-says/ 'DNA of Jewish teen found on rock that killed Palestinian woman, court says,'] [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]] 25 January 2019</ref><ref>Jonathan Ofir, [https://mondoweiss.net/2019/01/jewish-stones-palestinian/ Jewish stones are better than Palestinian stones] [[Mondoweiss]] 24 January 2019</ref><ref>Jacob Magid,[https://www.timesofisrael.com/court-dna-of-jewish-teen-suspect-found-on-stone-that-killed-palestinian-woman/ 'Court: DNA of Jewish teen suspect found on stone that killed Palestinian woman,'] [[The Times of Israel]] 23 January 2019</ref>
On January 24, 2019, an indictment was filed against the minor on suspicion of manslaughter, stone throwing at a vehicle and intentional sabotage of a vehicle, all under the circumstances of a terrorist act. According to the indictment, the minor threw a rock that weighs close to two kilograms in order to harm vehicle passengers of Arab descent. The main evidence was a DNA sample from the suspect found on the stone that killed al-Rabi.<ref name="Paton" >Callum Paton, [https://www.newsweek.com/israeli-settler-teen-charged-murder-after-dropping-4-pound-rock-palestinian-1303023 'Israeli Settler Teen Charged With Murder After Dropping 4-Pound Rock on Palestinian Woman’s Car,'][[Newsweek]] 24 January 2019</ref><ref name="Hasson"/><ref>[https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/dna-of-jewish-teen-found-on-rock-that-killed-palestinian-woman-court-says/ 'DNA of Jewish teen found on rock that killed Palestinian woman, court says,'] [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]] 25 January 2019</ref><ref>Jonathan Ofir, [https://mondoweiss.net/2019/01/jewish-stones-palestinian/ Jewish stones are better than Palestinian stones] [[Mondoweiss]] 24 January 2019</ref><ref>Jacob Magid,[https://www.timesofisrael.com/court-dna-of-jewish-teen-suspect-found-on-stone-that-killed-palestinian-woman/ 'Court: DNA of Jewish teen suspect found on stone that killed Palestinian woman,'] [[The Times of Israel]] 23 January 2019</ref>


In May 2019, a forensic investigation concluded that the damage to Aisha al-Rabi's skull might be inconsistent with that of being hit by a single rock. The chief pathologist at the [[National Center of Forensic Medicine]] at [[Abu Kabir]], Dr. Hen Kugel, stated regarding the wounds: "In searching the professional literature, there was no case found in which such broad wounds [found on the victim] were the result of one strike of a stone." However, he noted that he was one of seven pathologists at Abu Kabir who studied the case and only two of them agreed with his conclusion, two found the evidence inconclusive, and two believed that the evidence indeed showed that the wounds had been caused by a single rock.<ref name = "israeltimes2019may14">{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/expert-casts-doubt-in-case-against-teen-accused-of-killing-palestinian-woman/|title=Expert casts doubt in case against teen accused of killing Palestinian woman|author=Jacob Magid}}</ref> The minor was subsequently released to house arrest.
In May 2019, the minor was released to house arrest after a forensic report submitted to the court concluded that al-Rabi's injuries were not consistent with being hit by the stone.<ref name="HaaretzToi20190514"/>


==Responses==
==Responses==

Revision as of 04:25, 6 August 2020

Aisha al-Rabi, 47, was a Palestinian woman that was killed by Jewish settlers near the Tapuah Junction in the northern Israeli-occupied West Bank south of Nablus as they hurled rocks at the car she was travelling in on October 12, 2018. The killing gained some notoriety because al-Rabi's family did not receive compensation from Israeli authorities despite the crime being classified as a terror attack.

The Israeli secret police, the Shin Bet, suspected that the killing was a terrorist attack and arrested five minors connected to the incident, one of whom were eventually indicted for charges of manslaughter while the others were released.[1][1][2]

On May 14, 2019, the chief coroner of the Israel National Center of Forensic Medicine,Dr. Chen Kugel, concluded that the damage to Rabi's skull, which in his view had two points of impact, was too extensive to be the result of a single stone thrown at the moving car. Two colleagues dissented from his opinion, asserting that a rock could have caused the damage.[3] The youth maintains that the presence of his DNA on the rock may perhaps have been caused by him spitting on it as he walked around that area.[3]

The killing

Aisha, her husband Yaqoub (also translit: Aykube), 51, and her daughter Rama, 8, were on their way home to Bidya, Salfit Governorate in the northwestern West Bank, south of Nablus from Hebron where one of Aisha and Yaqoub's six daughters live. They were traveling in their car on Highway 60. At around 9:30 pm Yaqoub, who drove the car, about 100 meters before the Tapuah Junction where a permanent Israeli checkpoint is located.[4]

At that point, a group of settlers on the right shoulder of the road began hurling stones at the car. The front windshield and the right passenger side window where Aisha was sitting was hit by the barrage. One particularly heavy rock, weighing roughly two kilos,[5] was dropped on the car, smashing the windshield and hitting her on the right side of her face on the ear as she was talking to Yaqoub. The rock crushed her skull and caused her to lose consciousness.

Yaqoub rushed Aisha to Rafidia hospital in Nablus, a 20 minutes drive away, where his wife was pronounced dead.[6]

Investigation

A few days later, the Israeli secret police, Shin Bet, began investigating the case. Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right party Otzma Yehudit was critical of the agency's involvement: "Experience shows the Jewish Division investigates... in an aggressive and problematic manner which does not allow the truth to come out, but at most brings out false confessions." According to The Times of Israel, the involvement of Shin Bet indicated that the authorities suspected that the attack was carried out by settlers.[7]

The investigation led Shin Bet to focus on Pri Ha'aretz, a religious boarding school in Rechelim,[8] located close to where the stones were thrown.[1][9] According to Shin Bet, far-right activists from the nearby Yitzhar settlement drove to Pri Haaretz on Saturday morning, the day after the murder, to help the students prepare for future interrogation from Israeli authorities and to avoid revealing incriminating evidence.[10] This was seen as suspicious because Saturday is the Jewish day of rest and most religious Jews would observe the religious injunction to not drive on that day.[11]

At the end of December 2018, the Shin Bet arrested three students from Pri Ha'aretz and interrogated them for a week without allowing them to meet with attorneys. Five days later, two more students were arrested and were also prevented from metting with lawyers. On January 6, 2019, it was announced that the minors had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder.[12] On January 10, four of the minors were released but kept under house arrest.[13] On January 15, a Statement of Claimant was filed in court by the prosecutor on the intention to file an indictment against the 16-year-old minor who remained in detention.[5][14]

During these weeks Shin Bet came under fire from settler and pro-settler groups who accused it of torturing the suspects. Shin Bet denied the allegation and released evidence from the investigation to justify why it had to keep the minors detained. Among the evidence was an Israeli flag with a swastika drawn over the Star of David and the text "Death to Zionists" written on it.[15]

On January 24, 2019, an indictment was filed against the minor on suspicion of manslaughter, stone throwing at a vehicle and intentional sabotage of a vehicle, all under the circumstances of a terrorist act. According to the indictment, the minor threw a rock that weighs close to two kilograms in order to harm vehicle passengers of Arab descent. The main evidence was a DNA sample from the suspect found on the stone that killed al-Rabi.[16][17][18][19][20]

In May 2019, a forensic investigation concluded that the damage to Aisha al-Rabi's skull might be inconsistent with that of being hit by a single rock. The chief pathologist at the National Center of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir, Dr. Hen Kugel, stated regarding the wounds: "In searching the professional literature, there was no case found in which such broad wounds [found on the victim] were the result of one strike of a stone." However, he noted that he was one of seven pathologists at Abu Kabir who studied the case and only two of them agreed with his conclusion, two found the evidence inconclusive, and two believed that the evidence indeed showed that the wounds had been caused by a single rock.[5] The minor was subsequently released to house arrest.

Responses

The US Consulate General in Jerusalem expressed condolences for Aisha Rabi's family and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.[21] Jason Greenblatt, the US Special Envoy for Middle East Negotiations, also expressed condolences for Aisha's family and called her killing "reprehensible."[22] The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov condemned the attack and called the Israeli authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. The Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin criticized left-wing activists for blaming Jewish incidents, claiming they were basing their allegations on "scraps of an incident."[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Yumna Patel, 'Israel arrests five settlers in connection with October killing of Aisha al-Rabi,' Mondoweiss 7 January 2019
  2. ^ Amos Harel,'Israeli ‘Jewish Terror’ Incidents Targeting Palestinians Tripled in 2018,' Haaretz 6 January 2019
  3. ^ a b Josh Breiner ,Jack Khoury, 'In Murder Trial of Palestinian Woman, Forensic Experts Disagree on Cause of Death,' Haaretz 14 May 2019
  4. ^ "Shin Bet investigating allegations settlers stoned Palestinian woman".
  5. ^ a b c "Expert casts doubt in case against teen accused of killing Palestinian woman". Cite error: The named reference "israeltimes2019may14" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Israel refuses to recognise murdered Palestinian as 'victim of terrorism'". Middle East Monitor. January 13, 2020.
  7. ^ "Shin Bet opens probe as settlers suspected in deadly stoning of Palestinian car". October 13, 2018.
  8. ^ Jacob Magid, ‘Murder suspects’ yeshiva seen as a radical bastion in a more moderate settlement,’ The Times of Israel 8 January 2019:'Pri Haaretz opened its doors in the fall of 2016 and is home to roughly 70 students. The boarding school was founded by Rabbi Yehuda Libman, a former resident of Yitzhar and student at its radical Od Yosef Chai yeshiva.'
  9. ^ [1]
  10. ^ "Pri Haaretz rabbis speak out against Shin Bet". Far-Right activists in the nearby settlement of Yitzhar drove to Pri Haaretz on that Shabbat morning in order to prepare the suspects for their questioning by the Shin Bet, and help them avoid revealing incriminating evidence while under interrogation.
  11. ^ "Israel Arrests 5 Teenage Suspects In Fatal Stoning Of Palestinian Woman". January 7, 2019.
  12. ^ [2]
  13. ^ Jacob Magid,'Court releases four of five suspects in Aisha Rabi killing to house arrest,' The Times of Israel 10 January 2019
  14. ^ [3]
  15. ^ "Flag daubed 'Death to Zionists' found during arrest of Jewish terror suspects".
  16. ^ Callum Paton, 'Israeli Settler Teen Charged With Murder After Dropping 4-Pound Rock on Palestinian Woman’s Car,'Newsweek 24 January 2019
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hasson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ 'DNA of Jewish teen found on rock that killed Palestinian woman, court says,' Jewish Telegraphic Agency 25 January 2019
  19. ^ Jonathan Ofir, Jewish stones are better than Palestinian stones Mondoweiss 24 January 2019
  20. ^ Jacob Magid,'Court: DNA of Jewish teen suspect found on stone that killed Palestinian woman,' The Times of Israel 23 January 2019
  21. ^ @USPalAffairs (15 Oct 2018). "Saddened to hear of the death of Palestinian mother of eight Aisha al-Rabi this weekend in the West Bank. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family during this difficult time. We urge the perpetrators be brought to justice" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 14 June 2019 – via Twitter.
  22. ^ Greenblatt, Jason [@jdgreenblatt45] (15 October 2018). "My thoughts & prayers are with Mrs. Aysha al-Rabi's 8 children & husband. Mrs. al-Rabi was killed when her car was struck by a stone thrown onto the roadway. An investigation into this reprehensible act is ongoing" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 14 June 2019 – via Twitter.
  23. ^ "US envoy calls rock attack that killed Palestinian woman 'reprehensible'". The Times of Israel. 15 October 2018. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
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