Last update - 00:00 20/09/2007
Court sentences woman to life in jail for stabbing death of boyfriend
By Eli Ashkenazi, Haaretz Correspondent
A Nazareth District Court on Thursday convicted a woman for the stabbing death of her boyfriend, and sentenced her to life in prison.
Anastasia Mikel, 23, of Migdal Ha'emek killed 27-year-old, Nassim Afifi of Nazareth, a year ago while they were vacating at the Recital hotel by the Sea of Galillee.
An argument broke out between the two, during which the Mikel grabbed a 15 centimeter long cutting knife and stabbed Afifi, wounding him in the shoulder. She then hid the knife under their tent.
Tensions calmed and then later flared up again, developing into a violent fight. Afifii was held back by one of the people present to separate him from Mikel, at which point she retrieved the knife, and stabbed him in the chest delivering a mortal blow.
Mikel claimed she stabbed Afifi in self defense and that she was inebriated at the time, but Judge Aharon Aminoff ruled that the body of evidence and testimony presented by her lawyers failed to prove Mikel's claim.
Judges Zihad Hawari and Shaher Atrash also supported the judge's decision.