Israeli Woman Stabs Her Partner 65 Times, Replacing Knives in Middle of Attack

He begged her to stop and to call an ambulance but she continued, saying she would kill him that day, she told police

Haaretz

An Israeli woman was charged on Monday with murdering her partner last month, stabbing him 65 times and even replacing knives in the middle of the attack. Her detention has been extended until decided otherwise. The identity of the woman, a resident of a northern Israeli town, remains subject to a gag order.

The victim was found by police, called in by neighbors who heard screaming from the apartment. He was declared deceased on the spot.

During the month preceding the murder, the indictment states, the woman had felt unwell, and had difficulty sleeping at night. Suspecting that her partner was unfeeling as to her condition, she felt that if she had to go to hospital, the man would ‘continue living in the apartment she owned’, even though they had been living as a couple for some 30 years. They had two children together, and she had a son as well from a previous relationship.

Under Israeli law, common-law marriage kicks in after seven years and property becomes jointly owned.

She planned the murder a week before the event, says the charge sheet. The day before, her son came to visit and slept over. One of the joint sons was also home. In the morning of the event, she asked her son to take the other one to the train station.

After they had left, unable because of his medical condition to bend over, her husband asked her to help him put on socks. She however locked the door to the apartment, took a knife and began stabbing him.

He begged her to stop and to call an ambulance but she continued, saying she would kill him that day, she told police, as elaborated in the indictment. It also says that after the first knife blade bent, she returned to the kitchen and took another knife.

Altogether she stabbed him about 65 times.

The public defender Boris Sherman said his client wants to ask for a psychiatric evaluation. ‘She is in very rough condition. She is in crisis and may be in a psychotic state as well. I have difficulty communicating with her,’ Sherman said.

Her relatives claim the woman suffered from physical violence by her life partner. One of the relatives denied the allegations. A neighbor said he had never witnessed violence between the couple and neither had ever complained to the police about violence.