Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, 69, was convicted Tuesday in the Jerusalem Magistrates' Court of unruly behavior in a public place and insulting a public servant, in an incident that occurred in October 2005 when Stern visited the Kotel with his 10 year old son.
According to the charges against him, Rabbi Ariel called Stern "unclean," "Jew evicter" and "criminal" and joined with others in pushing him out of the Kotel plaza. He was said to have demanded that Stern promise to release the Hesder Yeshiva soldiers who had been taken out of their units for refusing to participate in the Disengagement.
Rabbi Ariel said in court that he did not prevent Stern from reaching the Kotel and did not incite any of the people present. He confirmed that he wished to rebuke Stern for his behavior but denied that he made demands as conditions for letting Stern reach the Kotel.