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one of his killers Yosef Ben-David
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Mohamed Abu Khudeir, 16, june 12 2014 Burned alive by settlers |
8 june 2015
In a few days, it will be one years since the Jerusalemite child Mohammad Abu Khdeir was kidnapped and burned alive by three settlers who planned and carried out their crime for racially motivated reasons. Until this day, the occupation authorities did not punish the settlers and did not take any action towards them except for arresting them and presenting them to the District court in Jerusalem to listen to them as well as the witnesses.
Sixteen session were already carried out for the killers in which 113 witnesses’ statements were heard (police personnel, Intelligence, eye-witnesses to the attempt of kidnapping the child Mousa Zalloum, Zalloum family members, the pathologist who supervised the dissection the of Mohammed’s body and others). Some hearing sessions were open to the public while others were not especially those where police and intelligence personnel gave their statements.
The witnesses’ hearing session came after the settlers suddenly refused the charges against them after they were arrested and presented to court.
Session for hearing the killers
The last two sessions (June 3rd and 8th) were held to hear the killers. The main suspect (Yousef Ben David-30) refused to talk about his crime and remained silent throughout the sessions while the second suspect (Yair Ben David) agreed to speak but said in both session that he had no idea his uncle intended to kill the child Abu Khdeir. He said he was forced to hit Mohammad, hold him and choke him all the way from Shu’fat to the woods of Der Yassin as he was following the orders of Yousef Ben David. He could not refuse the orders and the kidnapping was revenge to the kidnapping of three settlers in Hebron.
He said: “Our goal was to kidnap anyone who is young and small so he couldn’t resist”; the same settlers tried to kidnap a woman from Wad Al-Joz and a child from Beit Hanina before kidnapping Mohammad.
He added: “We kidnapped Abu Khdeir and used force to bring him inside the car.” Yousef Ben David hit him on his head and Yair with the other settler held the child while Yousef was saying “Arabs have seven lives”. Yair put the child in a headlock who tried to resist in the first moments and said “Death for Israel” but lost consciousness later on and saliva came out of his mouth after being placed in a headlock from Shu’fat to the woods of Der Yassin.
Revealing recordings for the three settlers “planning the crime…representation of the crime…confessions”
The surprise revealed by the prosecution during the session of June 3rd and 8th was recordings for the settlers. The first recording was revealed on June 3rd which was a meeting for the settlers inside an optics store in West Jerusalem where the search and kidnap of a Palestinian was discussed. The meeting was held after they failed to kidnap the child Mousa Zalloum from Beit Hanina and also failed to attack his mother. The video showed the settlers’ practicing moves to learn how to attack and react. At the end of the meeting, they decided to meet at the end of the day to find another Palestinian to kidnap in Shu’fat or Beit Hanina as they insisted on revenge.
The recording that was revealed on June 8th was for the three settlers few days after they carried out their crime during the interrogation as they confessed and represented their crime. Also, some of the confessions and statements they made during the interrogation were presented during the session and Yair tried to deny. The recording showed what the three settlers said regarding Abu Khdeir’s reactions in first moments of being kidnapped.
According to the recordings, Yair confirmed that they kidnapped Abu Khdeir and had planned it in revenge for the three settlers in Hebron. They hit and controlled the child despite resisting them and he lost consciousness after hitting him on the head and choking him but was still breathing. Saliva came out of Mohammad’s mouth on Yair’s hand and happily asked Yousef: “Should I kill him?” According to the confessions, Mohammad stayed alive until they poured gas on him and burned him alive.
Despite the clear confession of Yair and the other settlers, he still said he was forced to say that because of the pressure he was put under during the interrogating which was conducted by the “Shabak” interrogators.
A plan to reduce the penalty on the settlers!!!
Lawyer Mohannad Jbara, the Martyr’s family lawyer, considered the last session a plan to reduce the penalty on the settlers as one of the suspects said that he did everything as ordered by the main suspect “Yousef Ben David” and they could not refuse his orders (forcing them to carry out actions while under 18). The settler also tried to say that the child suffocated and did not pass away due to being burned which will change the main reason of the death. Also, Yousef Ben David claims to be suffering from “mental disorders”, and thus reduce the penalty for all three suspects.
Jbara said that the initial confessions of the settlers which are videotaped and their representation of the crime is enough evidence to convict them in court on charges of “premeditated murder”.
Also, the testimony and report of the pathologist Dr. Qawjal during one of the hearing sessions where he said that Mohammad was burned alive unlike what the defense lawyers claim that the Martyr Abu Khdeir died before he the burning process.
Transferred the settler “Yousef Ben David” to a foreign psychologist
The defense lawyer said that Yousef Ben David will be presented to a foreign psychologist at the beginning of July. The Israeli psychologist said in his report that Yousef is sane and does not suffer from psychological or mental disorders and is qualified for the trial.
15.07.2015
The court postponed the sentencing of the settlers until 15.07.2015.
The family of the Martyr…We will head to international courts
The family of Abu Khdeir confirmed that it does not trust the Israeli judiciary system and its decisions. Almost one year after the Martyrdom of their son, the settlers are not yet punished. The family added that they will head to international courts if the panel of judges’ sentence against the settlers is not equivalent to the provisions of the heinous crime committed by them.
Jerusalemite protesters call for prosecuting Abu Khdeir murderers
Dozens of Jerusalemites protested Monday morning outside the Israeli Central Court in coincidence with the hearing session of Mohammed Abu Khedeir’s murderers.
The protesters raised banners and chanted slogans calling for bringing the murderers to court.
The Israeli court started last Wednesday hearing to the confession of the three main suspects including the extremist settler Yossi Ben-David I, 30, and two other un-identified minors.
Mohammed Abu Khdeir, a 16-year-old Palestinian, was forced into an Israeli setter's car early on the morning of 2 July 2014. His family immediately reported the fact to Israeli Police who located his charred body a few hours later in the Jerusalem Forest. Preliminary results from the autopsy said that he was beaten and burnt while still alive.
Sixteen session were already carried out for the killers in which 113 witnesses’ statements were heard (police personnel, Intelligence, eye-witnesses to the attempt of kidnapping the child Mousa Zalloum, Zalloum family members, the pathologist who supervised the dissection the of Mohammed’s body and others). Some hearing sessions were open to the public while others were not especially those where police and intelligence personnel gave their statements.
The witnesses’ hearing session came after the settlers suddenly refused the charges against them after they were arrested and presented to court.
Session for hearing the killers
The last two sessions (June 3rd and 8th) were held to hear the killers. The main suspect (Yousef Ben David-30) refused to talk about his crime and remained silent throughout the sessions while the second suspect (Yair Ben David) agreed to speak but said in both session that he had no idea his uncle intended to kill the child Abu Khdeir. He said he was forced to hit Mohammad, hold him and choke him all the way from Shu’fat to the woods of Der Yassin as he was following the orders of Yousef Ben David. He could not refuse the orders and the kidnapping was revenge to the kidnapping of three settlers in Hebron.
He said: “Our goal was to kidnap anyone who is young and small so he couldn’t resist”; the same settlers tried to kidnap a woman from Wad Al-Joz and a child from Beit Hanina before kidnapping Mohammad.
He added: “We kidnapped Abu Khdeir and used force to bring him inside the car.” Yousef Ben David hit him on his head and Yair with the other settler held the child while Yousef was saying “Arabs have seven lives”. Yair put the child in a headlock who tried to resist in the first moments and said “Death for Israel” but lost consciousness later on and saliva came out of his mouth after being placed in a headlock from Shu’fat to the woods of Der Yassin.
Revealing recordings for the three settlers “planning the crime…representation of the crime…confessions”
The surprise revealed by the prosecution during the session of June 3rd and 8th was recordings for the settlers. The first recording was revealed on June 3rd which was a meeting for the settlers inside an optics store in West Jerusalem where the search and kidnap of a Palestinian was discussed. The meeting was held after they failed to kidnap the child Mousa Zalloum from Beit Hanina and also failed to attack his mother. The video showed the settlers’ practicing moves to learn how to attack and react. At the end of the meeting, they decided to meet at the end of the day to find another Palestinian to kidnap in Shu’fat or Beit Hanina as they insisted on revenge.
The recording that was revealed on June 8th was for the three settlers few days after they carried out their crime during the interrogation as they confessed and represented their crime. Also, some of the confessions and statements they made during the interrogation were presented during the session and Yair tried to deny. The recording showed what the three settlers said regarding Abu Khdeir’s reactions in first moments of being kidnapped.
According to the recordings, Yair confirmed that they kidnapped Abu Khdeir and had planned it in revenge for the three settlers in Hebron. They hit and controlled the child despite resisting them and he lost consciousness after hitting him on the head and choking him but was still breathing. Saliva came out of Mohammad’s mouth on Yair’s hand and happily asked Yousef: “Should I kill him?” According to the confessions, Mohammad stayed alive until they poured gas on him and burned him alive.
Despite the clear confession of Yair and the other settlers, he still said he was forced to say that because of the pressure he was put under during the interrogating which was conducted by the “Shabak” interrogators.
A plan to reduce the penalty on the settlers!!!
Lawyer Mohannad Jbara, the Martyr’s family lawyer, considered the last session a plan to reduce the penalty on the settlers as one of the suspects said that he did everything as ordered by the main suspect “Yousef Ben David” and they could not refuse his orders (forcing them to carry out actions while under 18). The settler also tried to say that the child suffocated and did not pass away due to being burned which will change the main reason of the death. Also, Yousef Ben David claims to be suffering from “mental disorders”, and thus reduce the penalty for all three suspects.
Jbara said that the initial confessions of the settlers which are videotaped and their representation of the crime is enough evidence to convict them in court on charges of “premeditated murder”.
Also, the testimony and report of the pathologist Dr. Qawjal during one of the hearing sessions where he said that Mohammad was burned alive unlike what the defense lawyers claim that the Martyr Abu Khdeir died before he the burning process.
Transferred the settler “Yousef Ben David” to a foreign psychologist
The defense lawyer said that Yousef Ben David will be presented to a foreign psychologist at the beginning of July. The Israeli psychologist said in his report that Yousef is sane and does not suffer from psychological or mental disorders and is qualified for the trial.
15.07.2015
The court postponed the sentencing of the settlers until 15.07.2015.
The family of the Martyr…We will head to international courts
The family of Abu Khdeir confirmed that it does not trust the Israeli judiciary system and its decisions. Almost one year after the Martyrdom of their son, the settlers are not yet punished. The family added that they will head to international courts if the panel of judges’ sentence against the settlers is not equivalent to the provisions of the heinous crime committed by them.
Jerusalemite protesters call for prosecuting Abu Khdeir murderers
Dozens of Jerusalemites protested Monday morning outside the Israeli Central Court in coincidence with the hearing session of Mohammed Abu Khedeir’s murderers.
The protesters raised banners and chanted slogans calling for bringing the murderers to court.
The Israeli court started last Wednesday hearing to the confession of the three main suspects including the extremist settler Yossi Ben-David I, 30, and two other un-identified minors.
Mohammed Abu Khdeir, a 16-year-old Palestinian, was forced into an Israeli setter's car early on the morning of 2 July 2014. His family immediately reported the fact to Israeli Police who located his charred body a few hours later in the Jerusalem Forest. Preliminary results from the autopsy said that he was beaten and burnt while still alive.
4 june 2015
By Khalid Amayreh
The three Jewish terrorists who last year abducted and burned alive a young Palestinian boy from a refugee camp near Jerusalem on Wednesday recounted their shocking crime before Jerusalem court.
The three settlers murdered Muhammad Abu Khdeir from the Shufat refugee camp north of Jerusalem in early July 2014, allegedly to avenge the killing, ostensibly by Palestinian militants of three settlers a few weeks earlier.
According to their testimonies, the three abducted the 13-year-old boy, beat him on the head using a hard object, and took him to a nearby wood where thy pumped gasoline into his belly. Then they poured more gasoline all over his body before setting him on fire.
Afterward, the three reportedly headed to a Jewish colony in the West Bank where they had a party to celebrate their crime.
In an effort to receive a lenient sentence, one of the murderers claimed that he didn't know "things would turn out this way."
However, it was clear from the beginning that none of the three murderers tried to stop the murder of the innocent Arab boy.
The Israeli justice system, dominated by Talmudic-minded settlers who believe the lives of non-Jews have no sanctity, routinely pass extremely lenient prison sentences on Jews convicted of murdering non-Jews, particularly Palestinians.
In many cases, the courts concoct "extenuating circumstances" in the murderer's or murderers' favor, such as accepting claims that the murder was carried out in self-defense.
And when it is established beyond any reasonable doubt that the crime was committed premeditatedly and with a malicious intent, the judge, nearly always, accepts a plea bargain claim that the murderer has or had mental or psychological problems and that he didn't fully understand what he was doing.
Yosef Ben-David was the driving force behind abduction and killing of the Arab teen Mohammed Abu Khdeir in July 2014, one of two minors accused of the killing told Jerusalem District Court on Wednesday, but said he never believed that it would end up in murder.
"It's shocking," the minor said. "It's hard for me to believe that I was party to such a horrific incident. It’s simply not true that I planned to kill him. I never dreamed that it would end in the way that it did."
One of the murderers, a minor whose name was not released by court order, reportedly told the court that Yosef Ben-David, from the settlement of Adam in the West Bank, decided to murder any Arab to avenge the death of the tree settlers.
"Ben-David was at the boys' funerals," the minor said. "He was much more enthusiastic and heated up. We met at the central bus station, bought some cigarettes and drank energy drinks to spur us on."
In his own testimony, which was obtained by Ynet last year, 30-year-old Ben-David said that, "We decided we had to take revenge for what they did. (We) were saying, 'Let's avenge,' I said my blood was boiling and he said his blood was boiling and the whole country was silent and we were wondering why they did this to them, and what had they been guilty of?"
The minor murderer told the court that on the night of Abu Khdeir's murder, "We went to the International Convention Center then he (Ben-David) already started talking about wanting to pick someone up in his car and beat him. He gave us pills to calm us down. The other youth and I said it was dangerous. We drove around for hours. He stopped next to five small children and every time we were looking for a way to get out of it. I was distressed over the children."
He described how they forced Abu Khdeir into their car.
"I was sure he would let us (the two minors) off on the side of the road. I didn't think he would take him into the woods and beat him there. I thought he would drop it. There was shouting in the car and there was tension. We reached the Jerusalem Forest, and the whole trip we held him from behind. Ben-David asked where the crowbar was, and said that they (the Arabs) have seven souls, then he gave him two blows to the head with the crowbar."
"I said to Ben-David 'enough!'," the accused continued. "I got into the car and suddenly I saw a huge bonfire and understood the meaning. I didn't see with my own eyes that it was Yosef who lit it, but from what was said, he lit it."
Ben-David, the master murderer, reportedly told police last year that he had set Abu Khdeir alight. According to the pathological report, the Arab boy was burnt alive.
"I gave the boy three kicks to the legs, then I took a lighter, I set the boy alight.
The minor told the court that after Abu Khdeir had been killed, "we went to Sacher Park to conceal the evidence. Ben-David gave me instructions on what to do and then went to his home in Adam (a West Bank settlement)."
As mentioned before, Jewish murderers convicted of murdering non-Jews normally receive extremely lenient prison sentences. For example, a Rabi named Moshe Levinger who murdered a Palestinian shopkeeper in 1988 in downtown Hebron was sentenced to 6 months in jail.
According to Israeli sources, the rabbi, who died last month, served only a few days in jail before he was set free.
The three Jewish terrorists who last year abducted and burned alive a young Palestinian boy from a refugee camp near Jerusalem on Wednesday recounted their shocking crime before Jerusalem court.
The three settlers murdered Muhammad Abu Khdeir from the Shufat refugee camp north of Jerusalem in early July 2014, allegedly to avenge the killing, ostensibly by Palestinian militants of three settlers a few weeks earlier.
According to their testimonies, the three abducted the 13-year-old boy, beat him on the head using a hard object, and took him to a nearby wood where thy pumped gasoline into his belly. Then they poured more gasoline all over his body before setting him on fire.
Afterward, the three reportedly headed to a Jewish colony in the West Bank where they had a party to celebrate their crime.
In an effort to receive a lenient sentence, one of the murderers claimed that he didn't know "things would turn out this way."
However, it was clear from the beginning that none of the three murderers tried to stop the murder of the innocent Arab boy.
The Israeli justice system, dominated by Talmudic-minded settlers who believe the lives of non-Jews have no sanctity, routinely pass extremely lenient prison sentences on Jews convicted of murdering non-Jews, particularly Palestinians.
In many cases, the courts concoct "extenuating circumstances" in the murderer's or murderers' favor, such as accepting claims that the murder was carried out in self-defense.
And when it is established beyond any reasonable doubt that the crime was committed premeditatedly and with a malicious intent, the judge, nearly always, accepts a plea bargain claim that the murderer has or had mental or psychological problems and that he didn't fully understand what he was doing.
Yosef Ben-David was the driving force behind abduction and killing of the Arab teen Mohammed Abu Khdeir in July 2014, one of two minors accused of the killing told Jerusalem District Court on Wednesday, but said he never believed that it would end up in murder.
"It's shocking," the minor said. "It's hard for me to believe that I was party to such a horrific incident. It’s simply not true that I planned to kill him. I never dreamed that it would end in the way that it did."
One of the murderers, a minor whose name was not released by court order, reportedly told the court that Yosef Ben-David, from the settlement of Adam in the West Bank, decided to murder any Arab to avenge the death of the tree settlers.
"Ben-David was at the boys' funerals," the minor said. "He was much more enthusiastic and heated up. We met at the central bus station, bought some cigarettes and drank energy drinks to spur us on."
In his own testimony, which was obtained by Ynet last year, 30-year-old Ben-David said that, "We decided we had to take revenge for what they did. (We) were saying, 'Let's avenge,' I said my blood was boiling and he said his blood was boiling and the whole country was silent and we were wondering why they did this to them, and what had they been guilty of?"
The minor murderer told the court that on the night of Abu Khdeir's murder, "We went to the International Convention Center then he (Ben-David) already started talking about wanting to pick someone up in his car and beat him. He gave us pills to calm us down. The other youth and I said it was dangerous. We drove around for hours. He stopped next to five small children and every time we were looking for a way to get out of it. I was distressed over the children."
He described how they forced Abu Khdeir into their car.
"I was sure he would let us (the two minors) off on the side of the road. I didn't think he would take him into the woods and beat him there. I thought he would drop it. There was shouting in the car and there was tension. We reached the Jerusalem Forest, and the whole trip we held him from behind. Ben-David asked where the crowbar was, and said that they (the Arabs) have seven souls, then he gave him two blows to the head with the crowbar."
"I said to Ben-David 'enough!'," the accused continued. "I got into the car and suddenly I saw a huge bonfire and understood the meaning. I didn't see with my own eyes that it was Yosef who lit it, but from what was said, he lit it."
Ben-David, the master murderer, reportedly told police last year that he had set Abu Khdeir alight. According to the pathological report, the Arab boy was burnt alive.
"I gave the boy three kicks to the legs, then I took a lighter, I set the boy alight.
The minor told the court that after Abu Khdeir had been killed, "we went to Sacher Park to conceal the evidence. Ben-David gave me instructions on what to do and then went to his home in Adam (a West Bank settlement)."
As mentioned before, Jewish murderers convicted of murdering non-Jews normally receive extremely lenient prison sentences. For example, a Rabi named Moshe Levinger who murdered a Palestinian shopkeeper in 1988 in downtown Hebron was sentenced to 6 months in jail.
According to Israeli sources, the rabbi, who died last month, served only a few days in jail before he was set free.
Father of the slain Palestinian child, Mohammad Abu Khdeir, 16, who was kidnapped, tortured and burnt to death by Israeli fanatics, in Shu’fat in occupied Jerusalem, last year, stated Wednesday that the trial of his son’s killers is nothing but a farce, only meant for public relations and media manipulation.
The statements came in a protest Wednesday, in front of the District Court during its one of its hearing sessions in the case of Abu Khdeir.
The father, Hussein Abu Khdeir, said Israel keeps postponing its deliberations in the trial of the murderers of his child, and accused Tel Aviv of trying to avoid rendering a verdict.
Christine Reemawi of Palestine TV interviewed Abu Khdeir’s father who said that Israel was holding a farce trial, and that it has no interest in achieving justice.
“It’s all a farce, and as I said before, Israel will claim the killers have psychological issues,” the father said, “This is exactly what happened, and Israel is showing no real interest in seriously prosecuting them.’
The hearing was held in the Central Court in occupied Jerusalem, while many Palestinians, and family members, protested carrying pictures of Abu Khdeir, and calling for justice.
A family member of Abu Kheir said the Palestinians are protesting the injustice of the Israeli so-called justice system, and will never abandon their legitimate rights.
She called for more protests in front of the court, and said the family intends to initiate an extensive campaign, including heading to the International Criminal Court, adding that they do not trust in Israel’s legal system that discriminates against the Palestinians.
The family said it is not expecting justice from the Israeli side, as the courts represent and defend this illegal occupation of Palestine.
The child’s mother also denounced the Israeli legal system, the deliberate discrimination against the Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem, and said that the murderers will eventually face justice for their ugly crime.
The Israeli court held 15 sessions deliberating the case of the slain child, while one of the underage assailants, claimed that he “had family issues,” and alleged, “the oldest defendant forced him to commit the crime.”
Mohammad Abu Khdeir was kidnapped and killed on June 2 2014, in the Shu’fat in occupied Jerusalem.
The statements came in a protest Wednesday, in front of the District Court during its one of its hearing sessions in the case of Abu Khdeir.
The father, Hussein Abu Khdeir, said Israel keeps postponing its deliberations in the trial of the murderers of his child, and accused Tel Aviv of trying to avoid rendering a verdict.
Christine Reemawi of Palestine TV interviewed Abu Khdeir’s father who said that Israel was holding a farce trial, and that it has no interest in achieving justice.
“It’s all a farce, and as I said before, Israel will claim the killers have psychological issues,” the father said, “This is exactly what happened, and Israel is showing no real interest in seriously prosecuting them.’
The hearing was held in the Central Court in occupied Jerusalem, while many Palestinians, and family members, protested carrying pictures of Abu Khdeir, and calling for justice.
A family member of Abu Kheir said the Palestinians are protesting the injustice of the Israeli so-called justice system, and will never abandon their legitimate rights.
She called for more protests in front of the court, and said the family intends to initiate an extensive campaign, including heading to the International Criminal Court, adding that they do not trust in Israel’s legal system that discriminates against the Palestinians.
The family said it is not expecting justice from the Israeli side, as the courts represent and defend this illegal occupation of Palestine.
The child’s mother also denounced the Israeli legal system, the deliberate discrimination against the Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem, and said that the murderers will eventually face justice for their ugly crime.
The Israeli court held 15 sessions deliberating the case of the slain child, while one of the underage assailants, claimed that he “had family issues,” and alleged, “the oldest defendant forced him to commit the crime.”
Mohammad Abu Khdeir was kidnapped and killed on June 2 2014, in the Shu’fat in occupied Jerusalem.
3 june 2015
Yosef Ben-David in court on Wednesday
One of two minors charged with beating and setting Mohammed Abu Khdeir on fire in July 2014 says he 'couldn't say no' to key suspect Ben David.
Yosef Ben-David was the driving force behind abduction and killing of Arab teen Mohammed Abu Khdeir in July 2014, one of two minors accused of the killing told Jerusalem District Court on Wednesday, but said he never believed that it would end in murder.
Abu Khdeir, from Shuafat in East Jerusalem, was killed in early July, allegedly by Yosef Ben-David and the two minors, whose names cannot be published. They allegedly forced him into their car, drove him to a deserted spot in Jerusalem Forest, beat him unconscious and set him on fire.
"It's shocking," the minor said. "It's hard for me to believe that I was party to such a horrific incident. It;'s simply not true that I planned to kill him. I never dreamed that it would end in the way that it did."
The minor told the court on Wednesday that Ben-David had been driven by the murders of three Israeli teens in the West Bank shortly before the attack.
"Ben-David was at the boys' funerals," the minor said. "He was much more enthusiastic and heated up. We met at the central bus station, bought some cigarettes and drank energy drinks to spur us on."
In his own testimony, which was obtained by Ynet last year, 30-year-old Ben-David said that, "We decided we had to take revenge for what they (the terrorists) did. (We) were saying, 'Let's avenge,' I said my blood was boiling and he said his blood was boiling and the whole country was silent and we were wondering why they did this to them, and what had they been guilty of?"
The minor told the court that on the night of Abu Khdeir's murder, "We went to the International Convention Center then he (Ben-David) already started talking about wanting to pick someone up in his car and beat him. He gave us pills to calm us down. The other youth and I said it was dangerous. We drove around for hours. He stopped next to five small children and every time we were looking for a way to get out of it. I was distressed over the children."
The minor described how they forced Abu Khdeir into their car, but said he never imagined it would end in murder.
"I was sure he would let us (the two minors) off on the side of the road. I didn't think he would take him into the woods and beat him there. I thought he would drop it. There was shouting in the car and there was tension. We reached the Jerusalem Forest, and the whole trip we held him from behind. Ben-David asked where the crowbar was, and said that they (the Arabs) have seven souls, then he gave him two blows to the head with the crowbar."
At this point in the trial, Abu Khdeir's parents burst out, and began cursing the defendant in Arabic.
"I said to Ben-David 'enough!'," the accused continued. "I got into the car and suddenly I saw a huge bonfire and understood the meaning. I didn't see with my own eyes that it was Yosef who lit it, but from what was said, he lit it."
Ben-David himself told police last year that he had set Abu Khdeir alight. According to the pathological report, the teen was burnt alive.
"I gave the boy three kicks to the legs, and saying as I did 'This is for Eyal, and this is for Naftali, and this is for Gil-Ad'." Ben-David said, referring to Eyal Yifrach, Naftali Frenkel and Gil-Ad Shaer, the three Israeli teens abducted and murdered in the West Bank in June 2014. "I took a lighter, I set the boy alight."
The minor told the court that after Abu Khdeir had been killed, "we went to Sacher Park to conceal the evidence. Ben-David gave me instructions on what to do and then went to his home in Adam (a West Bank settlement)."
Hussein Abu Khdeir, Mohammed's father, once again burst out at this time. "They had a party in Adam with a guitar!" he cried.
The defendant replied that, "Ben David said if they ask us what we did that night, we should say that we played guitar. We were in shock at what had happened."
The defendant also painted a picture of a close relationship with Ben-David, and said that he could not refuse him.
"I was very attached to him," he said. "I couldn't say no to him. I was at war with myself, I was scared to do something, but on the other hand I could not say no to him."
Ben-David, who is married with two children, has a history of psychiatric problems. He was previously arrested on suspicion of trying to kill his own baby daughter.
One of two minors charged with beating and setting Mohammed Abu Khdeir on fire in July 2014 says he 'couldn't say no' to key suspect Ben David.
Yosef Ben-David was the driving force behind abduction and killing of Arab teen Mohammed Abu Khdeir in July 2014, one of two minors accused of the killing told Jerusalem District Court on Wednesday, but said he never believed that it would end in murder.
Abu Khdeir, from Shuafat in East Jerusalem, was killed in early July, allegedly by Yosef Ben-David and the two minors, whose names cannot be published. They allegedly forced him into their car, drove him to a deserted spot in Jerusalem Forest, beat him unconscious and set him on fire.
"It's shocking," the minor said. "It's hard for me to believe that I was party to such a horrific incident. It;'s simply not true that I planned to kill him. I never dreamed that it would end in the way that it did."
The minor told the court on Wednesday that Ben-David had been driven by the murders of three Israeli teens in the West Bank shortly before the attack.
"Ben-David was at the boys' funerals," the minor said. "He was much more enthusiastic and heated up. We met at the central bus station, bought some cigarettes and drank energy drinks to spur us on."
In his own testimony, which was obtained by Ynet last year, 30-year-old Ben-David said that, "We decided we had to take revenge for what they (the terrorists) did. (We) were saying, 'Let's avenge,' I said my blood was boiling and he said his blood was boiling and the whole country was silent and we were wondering why they did this to them, and what had they been guilty of?"
The minor told the court that on the night of Abu Khdeir's murder, "We went to the International Convention Center then he (Ben-David) already started talking about wanting to pick someone up in his car and beat him. He gave us pills to calm us down. The other youth and I said it was dangerous. We drove around for hours. He stopped next to five small children and every time we were looking for a way to get out of it. I was distressed over the children."
The minor described how they forced Abu Khdeir into their car, but said he never imagined it would end in murder.
"I was sure he would let us (the two minors) off on the side of the road. I didn't think he would take him into the woods and beat him there. I thought he would drop it. There was shouting in the car and there was tension. We reached the Jerusalem Forest, and the whole trip we held him from behind. Ben-David asked where the crowbar was, and said that they (the Arabs) have seven souls, then he gave him two blows to the head with the crowbar."
At this point in the trial, Abu Khdeir's parents burst out, and began cursing the defendant in Arabic.
"I said to Ben-David 'enough!'," the accused continued. "I got into the car and suddenly I saw a huge bonfire and understood the meaning. I didn't see with my own eyes that it was Yosef who lit it, but from what was said, he lit it."
Ben-David himself told police last year that he had set Abu Khdeir alight. According to the pathological report, the teen was burnt alive.
"I gave the boy three kicks to the legs, and saying as I did 'This is for Eyal, and this is for Naftali, and this is for Gil-Ad'." Ben-David said, referring to Eyal Yifrach, Naftali Frenkel and Gil-Ad Shaer, the three Israeli teens abducted and murdered in the West Bank in June 2014. "I took a lighter, I set the boy alight."
The minor told the court that after Abu Khdeir had been killed, "we went to Sacher Park to conceal the evidence. Ben-David gave me instructions on what to do and then went to his home in Adam (a West Bank settlement)."
Hussein Abu Khdeir, Mohammed's father, once again burst out at this time. "They had a party in Adam with a guitar!" he cried.
The defendant replied that, "Ben David said if they ask us what we did that night, we should say that we played guitar. We were in shock at what had happened."
The defendant also painted a picture of a close relationship with Ben-David, and said that he could not refuse him.
"I was very attached to him," he said. "I couldn't say no to him. I was at war with myself, I was scared to do something, but on the other hand I could not say no to him."
Ben-David, who is married with two children, has a history of psychiatric problems. He was previously arrested on suspicion of trying to kill his own baby daughter.
