Terrorist who murdered father of four sentenced to life in prison

At the sentencing, the victim’s parents handed the judges a letter asking for the maximum sentence.

By World Israel News Staff

On Sunday, the Lod District Court sentenced the Arab-Israeli terrorist who killed father of four Rabbi Itamar Ben-Gal, handing him a life term in prison and requiring financial restitution to the bereaved family.

Abdel Hakim Bin Adael Assi,19, brutally stabbed Ben-Gal at the entrance to the city of Ariel, in Samaria, on Feb. 5, 2018.

Ben-Gal escaped into the city, where he collapsed just after calling for help. He was evacuated by a medical team to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva and subsequently died of his wounds.

Ben-Gal, 29, was a father of four and worked as a teacher at the Bnei Akiva Yeshiva in Givat Shmuel.

During the hearing, the terrorist commented, “I did it with my whole head. [Israelis] are the terrorists, not us.”

At the sentencing, the judges were handed a letter written by Ben-Gal’s parents asking the court to give Assi the maximum sentence, Israel Hayom reported.

“We know that you cannot impose the death penalty, but we ask that you sentence him to a prison sentence that will cause him to rot in prison until his last day, that he will no longer be able to see the light of day. We ask that you determine that, under no circumstances, will he be included in any future terrorist release deal,” the letter said, according to Israel Hayom.

Asi was known to Israel’s social services because he lived at the Shanti House for runaways, a homeless shelter in Yafo. He decided to leave the Shanti House and was offered other options, but turned them down.

His mother is an Israeli Arab from the north and his father a Palestinian from Shechem (Nablus). They both reportedly abandoned him some time ago.

He was arrested in Shechem after a six-week-long manhunt by the Shin Bet and IDF.