Alexander Levlovich
Alexander LevlovichLevlovich family

The Jerusalem District Court sentenced three Israeli Arabs to lengthy prison sentences for killing Alexander Levlovitch back in 2015 by throwing rocks at his car. The attack was considered the first of 2015's 'knifing intifada' terror wave.

Abed Dweiyat guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to him 15 years in prison. Muhammad Abu Kaf and Elul Atrash were found guilty of aiding and abetting and received eight years in prison.

The suspects had been convicted back in September after lengthy deliberations. The three defendants had argued that the suspects could not be tried for manslaughter as they had not intended for Levlovitch to drive into a ditch.

However, Judge Rafi Carmel ruled that the defendants were fully aware of the potential consequences rock-throwing might bring. "They knew that it could lead to such results," wrote Carmel.

The three had killed Levlovich, 64, by hurling rocks at his car, as he passed through Pisgat Zeev on the way back from his festive Rosh Hashana meal. After being hit by the stones, the car swerved and hit a power pole before landing in a ditch.

Atrash's job was to act as a spotter for upcoming cars driven by Jews, while Dweiyat and Abu Kaf threw the rocks that killed Levlovich. Levlovich's killing is seen as a harbinger of the 'knife intifada' that exploded soon afterward.

Maya, Levlovich's daughter, praised the decision after the conviction in September. "The terrorist's defense was incomprehensible. After two years of hearing this, it's good that Judge Rafi Carmel finally convicted them."