Two Kahane Supporters Who Burned Jewish-Arab School Get “Harsh” Prison Sentences
Shmarya Rosenberg
Two Kahanist brothers who are members of the racist neo-Kahanist Lehava organization were sentenced earlier this week for their roles in the arson of the Jewish-Arab Max Rayne Hand in Hand School in Jerusalem.
18-year-old Nachman Twito and his 20-year-old brother Shlomo tried to burn down the school on November 28, 2014, causing heavy damage to one classroom. They also painted graffiti on the building that included, “Kahane was right,” “end assimilation,” and “no coexistence with cancer.”
The brothers both pleaded guilty to the crime. But they showed absolutely no remorse for committing it and instead said they were proud of what they had done.
Nachman Twito was sentenced to 30 months in prison, 10 months probation, and a 15,000 shekels ($3,900) in compensation to the school.
Shlomo Twito was sentenced to 24 months in prison, eight months probation must pay the school 10,000 shekels ($2,600) in compensation.
After the court hearing was over, the brothers reportedly said burning the school was “worth the price” and burst into triumphant songs praising God as they were led away by guards.
Ha’aretz called the sentences “heavy,” even though they are only fractions of the sentences the brothers would have received if their crimes were committed in many Western democracies, especially the US.
The District Prosecutor’s Office had asked the court for sentences of four to seven years.
Nonetheless, the Judge Zvi Segal reportedly pointed to the severity of the sentences he was handing down.
“The ‘normal’ severity of the charge of arson is exacerbated by the accused’s ideological motive…the accused’s decision to torch the school was due to the fact that Jews and Arabs study there together, and as part of the accused’s activity against coexistence between Jews and Arabs. Their actions were perpetrated against the backdrop of attacks in the city of Jerusalem, when the ground was burning, and out of the intention to create a media impact… the torching and the defacement of the school against said background show, in addition to the damage to the values of the public peace and security, its private and public property, also harm to the values of human dignity, equality and tolerance,” Segal wrote in his ruling.
A third suspect in the arson, Yitzhak Gabbai, did not plead guilty and is still on trial.
All three men are from Sefardi haredi families.
