Terrorist gets only six years in prison for murdering Jew at Joseph’s Tomb
Attorney Chaim Bleicher: ‘Double blow to family; one by terrorist, and then another by the court.’
The military court in Samaria on Tuesday sentenced Nawaf Fad to a paltry six years in prison for murdering Ben Yosef Livnat, 25-year-old father of four, six years ago near Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem.
Nawaf Fad was convicted of shooting at a group of worshipers in Joseph’s Tomb during the Passover holiday six years ago, killing Ben Yosef Livnat, who was among them. Fad was also convicted of obstruction of justice for scattering obstacles and tampering with evidence that was in the area following the shooting.
The court acquitted Fad of intentional manslaughter out of doubt, an offense equivalent to murder. The verdict was harshly criticized by Ben Yosef’s family.
Attorney Chaim Bleicher of the Honenu legal aid organization which is helping the family realize its rights as crime victims, said in response, “The verdict that acquitted the defendant of a shocking murder has no basis in the evidence and facts presented in court. The defendant explicitly admitted that he shot at the victim’s vehicle and even admitted that he hurt him. In addition, a bullet was found in the victim’s vehicle, which matched the trajectory indicated by the defendant in his confession. The court on its own initiative raised unreasonable scenarios positing the harm to the victim being possibly caused by another terrorist, even though all evidence indicates that the defendant was the only one who fired at the vehicle of the murdered person, and we expect that during the appeal, justice will be done and the terrorist will be punished.”
Attorney Bleicher also criticized the court’s handling of Ben Yosef’s family: “Unfortunately, we encountered the imperviousness and disregard of the victim’s family and their rights as crime victims after the verdict. That the terrorist took an active part in the murder and tampering with evidence comprising a double blow to the family: One by the terrorist and a second time from the judges’ conduct.”
