Two arrested for making threats against Israeli judges in manslaughter trial

Two arrested for making threats against Israeli judges in manslaughter trial

JERUSALEM: -- Two people have been arrested for making threats on Facebook against the military judges who delivered a guilty verdict against a young soldier in a manslaughter trial that has polarised Israel.

The identities of the suspects are unknown. One, a 54-year-old man from Jerusalem, wrote that chief judge Colonel Maya Heller would not finish her year.

The other, a 22-year old woman from Kiryat Gat posted “Take a grenade and blow up the judge. Scatter all of her parts in different places: let the dogs eat her”.

Gavriel Tronishvili, the lawyer for the male suspect, said that his client had admitted that he had made a mistake, had removed the post, and posed no threat.

Both suspects were released on house arrest, with restrictions placed on their internet use and movements. The woman is not allowed to make any attempt to contact Colonel Heller.

The unanimous verdict against Sergent Elor Azaria, 20, sparked violent clashes between police and far right groups as it was read out at a Tel Aviv military base.

Since then over 8,000 online threats have been made causing the three judges in the case to be placed under armed guard.

A poll by Israel’s Channel 2 found that 67% of Israelis, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, support a pardon for the soldier.

The family of the dead Palestinian said that the verdict was a good start. Before it was delivered they had said that they would accept nothing less than a life sentence.

Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, 21, was injured after he and a fellow Palestinian allegedly launched an attack against an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint in Hebron last March.

As he lay incapacitated in the road Azaria shot him in the head. Azaria was quoted in the verdict as saying “he deserves to die”.

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2017-01-06