Almog Shiloni
Almog ShiloniCourtesy of the family

The Tel Aviv district court on Wednesday morning convicted Arab terrorist Nur al-Din Abu Hashiya on charges of murder.

Hashiya back in November 10, 2014 stabbed to death First Sergeant Almog Shiloni just outside Hahagana Train Station in southern Tel Aviv.

According to the indictment submitted the same month as the attack Hashiya, who at the time of his attack was 18, entered sovereign Israeli territory illegally from Shechem (Nablus) in Samaria the day before he attacked.

He had hoped to be killed during the attack and thereby become a "martyr," a status rewarded by generous stipends to the terrorist's family from the Palestinian Authority (PA). However, he survived the attack.

Hashiya attacked at midday, catching Shiloni off-guard and stabbing him in the stomach, at which point the soldier fell to the ground and tried to defend himself with his legs. However, the terrorist succeeded in stabbing him several more times while trying to grab his M-16 assault rifle and attack other bystanders.

His attempt was foiled by passersby who got involved and hit Hashiya, causing the terrorist to flee and throw away his knife as he did so.

Early last December the High Court ruled not to demolish Hashiya's house as a deterrent step because "too much time has passed."

Noy Hilo, Shiloni's girlfriend, told Arutz Sheva that the decision "doesn't surprise me, this is the country we live in. It's sad that the state would ban demolishing the home." 

"It hurts that a terrorist who destroys a life gets this decision from the High Court," she added. "I am disappointed and angry."