Car-Ramming Terrorist Sentenced to Two Life Sentences

Jerusalem, 22 November, 2017 (TPS) -- An military tribunal sentenced Malek Hamad, the terrorist who rammed his car into a bus stop adjacent to Ofra, north of Jerusalem, last April, to two consecutive life sentences Wednesday.  Hamas was convicted of murdering IDF Sgt. Elchai Taharlev and attempted murder of Sgt. Roi Sasson and several other people who were standing at the bus stop.

Hamad was also ordered to pay NIS 250,000 in damages to the Taharlev family and NIS 30,000 to Roi Sasson.

Rabbi Ohad Taharlev, father of Elchai, said he would have preferred a death sentence for Hamad, but he added that given the absence of capital punishment in Israel, he was satisfied with the double life sentence.

In a statement released by the family, Taharlev said the terrorist struck out at the sanctity of life and took Elchai’s life. “I hope the rest of his life will be empty and meaningless, and that he will never again see the light of day. I hope his time in jail will be insufferable until the day he dies, and that the State of Israel is wise enough not to give him and other terrorists good lives in jail,” he said.

The victim’s father said he was disappointed that the damages award was so low, even though there is virtually no chance the family will ever receive the money. But he said he was thankful that the court hinted that the terrorist should not be considered for future prisoner swaps.

“We can only hope that this sentence will indeed lead to the convict remaining in prison until the end of his life, as is fitting for his murderous deeds,” Taharlev said.