The family of teenager Binyamin Achimeir, who was murdered two years ago in a shooting attack, has reached out to the court and Defense Minister Israel Katz, requesting the death penalty for the terrorist who murdered him.
The family is demanding that a judicial panel be appointed with the authority to impose the severe sentence, but so far, no decision has been made regarding this request. The case is close to a verdict, and there is a chance the terrorist will confess and request an immediate verdict.
Adv. Chaim Bleicher from the Honenu legal advocacy organization sent a letter to the military prosecution and Defense Minister Katz on behalf of the family, demanding that a judicial panel be appointed that would result in the imposition of the death penalty on the terrorist.
Bleicher noted that the family's requests were not answered for a year and a half since the terrorist's trial began, and that a delay in the appointment of the judicial panel may eliminate the possibility of imposing the maximum penalty on the terrorist.
"This demand stems from the unfathomable brutality of the murder and the fact that he acted out of murderous nationalistic ideology associated with ISIS," Bleicher explains, and adds that the death penalty is a critical tool in the war on terror. "The current situation, where a terrorist who murdered a defenseless boy does not receive the proper punishment, is unbearable."
Bleicher further argues that the delay in decision-making harms not only Benjamin’s family but the rights of all Israeli citizens, particularly those who support a firm policy against terrorism. “The reason for this is not only the desire for retribution, but the need to deter and to restore order to our society," Bleicher said.