George Sa'ado's Last Picture
George Sa'ado's Last PictureCourtesy of the Family

The Central District Attorney's Office filed charge sheets Thursday in the Petach Tikva District Court against 8 Arab minors from Ramle, accusing them of the murder of a Jewish neighbor, George Saado, 51, on March 11.

 According to the charge sheet, Sado walked his dog in an open area in Ramle when three of the accused accosted him and began cursing him. Saado did not reply and kept on walking. Additional youths joined the ones who had accosted Saado and they waited for him to return, armed with a hangun.

Four of the Arabs cursed Saado, coiced their support for rocket attacks against Israel and hurled anti-Semitic abuse. Two of them kicked the dog and threw rocks at it. One of the accused said that he wants to shoot Saado. Two others tried to dissuade him. Another said, however, that he would shoot Saado himself if the others were afraid.

The gang asked Saado if he was carrying a gun. He said "no" and lifted hus shurt to show that he was telling the truth. He then started walking away, and threw a last look back at the group. At that point, one of the Arabs drew the gun and fired one shot at Saado, who collapsed and later died.

The assailant then fired two more shots. One was meant to make sure Saado was dead and the second to kill his dog. The dog was killed but the second shot missed.

All six then fled the scene of the crime and were arrested later. One has been charged with murder and three with manslaughter. They are also charged with illegal possession of weapons, and other charges.

Police initially said the murder was not nationalistically motivated, but criminal in nature. Saado's sons and dughters rejected this explanation and the charge sheets vindicate them. Police have been accused of whitewashing nationalist Arab aggression and presenting it as criminal in nature.