Armon Hanatziv attack
Armon Hanatziv attackJonathan Zindel, Flash 90

The Jerusalem District Attorney submitted to the District Court a landmark 8 million NIS suit against the widow and children of terrorist Fadi Kunbar, who murdered four soldiers in a ramming attack at Armon Hanatziv in January 2017.

The suit, submitted a week and a half ago, is against Kunbar's estate for the damages that the attack caused to the state, including the cost of establishing memorial plaques for the soldiers and the payments to their families. The estimated cost for each victim is 2 million NIS. Kunbar's widow and four children who are the beneficiaries of Kunbar's estate could be affected by the suit.

The prosecutor intends to submit a series of similar suits against the families of terrorists. This step is another stage in the state's attempts to deter potential terrorists by causing significant financial harm to terrorist families after their attacks.

The indictment details all of the damages caused to the state from the need to pay bereaved families and other victims based on the Law for Bereaved Families. Additionally the state has asked the court to force the families of terrorists to pay the burial costs and the cost of erecting a gravestone for victims, at a cost of 8,400 shekels.

The suit was submitted by attorney Lior Scaberer of the civil department in the Jerusalem District Attorney, in conjunction with the civil enforcement unit in the State Prosecution and the department for claims and insurance in the Defense Ministry. The prosecution confirmed that another claim had been made against another terrorist and another claim will be submitted in the coming days.

The left-wing "Center for Defense of the Individual" which represented families of murderers in legal procedures against them, has attacked the decision to submit the suit, claiming that "it is legal but is definitely wicked, vengeful and ugly."

The prosecutor rejected the criticism and stated that the goal of the claim is to restore to the state the expenses involved in such terror acts and to transmit a clear message that the state will take account with all those who perpetrate acts of terror and will file civil suits against them as well.

The prosecutor added that "the claim was filed based on the benefits and pensions which the state has to provide based on law. However in the light of the fact that the attacker perpetrated the damage, his legal inheritors must reimburse the state for its expenses."