The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court accepted a civil claim filed by a Jewish assault victim in the Old City and ordered the Arab assailant to pay compensation of ILS 17,000.
According to the ruling, the incident took place six years ago, when the plaintiff was beaten by several Arabs, including the defendant who lashed him with a belt. The assailant was arrested after the incident and convicted in criminal proceedings, at the end of which he was sentenced to three months in prison.
The civil claim was filed by Attorney Menashe Yado of the Honenu organization after the criminal proceedings ended in a conviction. In the civil proceeding the plaintiff sought compensation for the damages he suffered as a result of the attack. The court ruled that the defendant would bear the financial compensation in addition to his prior punishment.
The claim detailed that the incident occurred at the end of October 2019 on the Via Dolorosa in the Old City of Jerusalem. According to the allegations, the plaintiff, wearing a kippah on his head and a tallit with tzitzit on his body, was first subjected to verbal abuse and later beaten by several people. At one point, it is alleged, the defendant joined the assault and later drew his trouser belt and lashed the plaintiff. Finally, civilians who were present pulled the plaintiff away from the attackers.
Attorney Menashe Yado said, "Honenu brings eastern Jerusalem Arabs who attacked Jews to trial and to the enforcement bureaus and forces them to pay for their aggression against Jews. This civil enforcement that is taking shape through a prolonged effort the organization has been conducting in recent years."