Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., November 09, 2008 Cheshvan 11, 5769 | | Israel Time: 08:40 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate U.S. election Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 15:02 02/09/2008
Two Border policemen convicted of manslaughter in killing of Palestinian teen
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Hebron, Israel, Border Patrol

Two Border policemen were convicted of manslaughter Tuesday for their part in the kidnapping and wrongful death of a Palestinian teen from Hebron in 2002.

The two, Shahar Botbeka and Denis Alhazov, were posted in Hebron in 2002 when they along with two other patrolmen abducted several Hebron residents, among them 17-year-old Amran Abu Hamadiya, and took them for a ride in their jeep. They abused the men and beat them with truncheons and rifles. They hurled Abu Hamadiya out of the moving vehicle, causing his death.

One of the patrolmen, Yanai Lalza, was convicted in November 2006 as part of a plea bargain. He confessed, among other things, that he and one of Botbeka had beaten Hamadiya, then opened the jeep's back doors before Lalza pushed Hamadiya out of the vehicle.
Advertisement
Despite his critical condition - he had struck his head and Lalza shouted, "he's dead, he's dead" - the soldiers continued driving and made no attempt to help him.

They later covered up the incident, coordinating their stories and falsifying documents.

A PID undercover agent infiltrated the four suspects' Border Police company to gather evidence on the incident, which the PID sees as one of the worst abuse cases in recent years.

Wishing to celebrate their last day in Hebron, Lalza and his friends had taken a jeep on December 30, 2002, and launched an abuse campaign in the city. First they abducted Alaa Sankrot, 20, and took him to an isolated spot, where they had him stand facing a stone wall. Botbeka beat him with a pickax handle while Lalza beat and kicked him. A third officer, Denis Alhazov, photographed the scene with the video camera while Basam Wahabe, the jeep's driver, stood watch. They broke the victim's skull and caused him other injuries, then left him there.

They repeated these acts with Hamza Rajabi, 22, and stole NIS 150 from him before abandoning him.

On another trip to Hebron later that day, the four abducted a man and ordered him to jump off the jeep. He did so, and managed to leave limping. Then they caught Abu Hamadiya, took him on the jeep and ordered him to jump.

Hamadiya held the straps on the jeep's top and tried to prevent them from pushing him out. He refused to jump, the Jerusalem District Court's Judge Orit Efaal-Gabay wrote in her verdict.

"Botbeka forcibly released the deceased youth's grasp on the straps and shoved him out of the jeep, which was traveling at the speed of 80 kilometers per hour. The youth's head struck the road forcefully and caused his death," the judge wrote.

The judge ruled that "Lalza saw the deceased fighting for his life, but did not lift a finger to help him and prevent the fatal result."

Photographing the incident reflected the officers' immense moral and ideological deficiency. A decision to disband this particular company was taken as a result of the undercover investigation.

The state reached an agreement to compensate the Abu Hamadiya family for NIS 450,000, which the state would collect from Lalza. The jeep's driver was convicted in a separate trial of being an accessory to manslaughter, among other things, and sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

Amran Abu Hamadiya's mother, Zinab, commended the prison sentence imposed on Lalza, but said the penalty was too light. She said that Amran, who was a high school student when he was killed, had been the family's bread winner after his father had died, and that since he had been killed the family's situation was very difficult.

Related articles:
  • Border policeman lightly hurt at anti-fence rally
  • Justify your policy
  • Cop gets community service for shooting Kafr Qasem resident
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Expecting change
    Hamas leader Meshal says Obama has no choice but to talk to group.
    Kosher Kiwi
    New Zealand elects a Jewish and conservative Prime Minister.
      1.   Typical 15:21  |  david 02/09/08
      2.   First degree murder 15:41  |  Singer 02/09/08
      3.   Wrongful death 16:08  |  Iamashamed 02/09/08
      4.   horrible!! 17:44  |  Space 02/09/08
      5.   Author(s) -- Missing Facts? 17:57  |  eyeswideopen 02/09/08
      6.   It sounds like 18:05  |  rm 02/09/08
      7.   Just murder by any other name..... 18:09  |  Esther 02/09/08
      8.   The notorious Border Police 18:30  |  David 02/09/08
      9.   Horrendous 19:06  |  Noami 02/09/08
      10.   What if the victims would have been Jews? 19:57  |  Esther 02/09/08
      11.   This was a hate crime. 20:15  |  Jane 02/09/08
      12.   Murder, terrorism, and apartheid 20:46  |  Aaron Levitt 02/09/08
      13.   The lesson is old: Avoid photographs 21:14  |  Natallie Durson 02/09/08
      14.   Post #10 is not mine.... 21:37  |  Esther 02/09/08
      15.   solution towards preventing violence 22:13  |  checks and balances 02/09/08
      16.   how does the court justify manslaughter? 22:55  |  eric 02/09/08
      17.   “immense moral deficiency” 00:15  |  Maki 03/09/08
      18.   Not to justify, but arabs terrorirsts do worse 00:45  |  RW 03/09/08
      19.   "launched an abuse campaign" 17:27  |  Silvienne 04/09/08
      20.   #19 Silvienne - Don`t you understand what`s written 15:22  |  * BEN JABO 05/09/08
      21.   #14 Esther - More than one Esther out there 15:39  |  * BEN JABO 05/09/08
      22.   #11, Jane... 08:26  |  Silvienne 07/09/08
      23.   Murder, Not Manslaughter 09:52  |  kmansfield 09/09/08
      24.   I`m glad that Israeli laws protect Palestinians 08:32  |  Michael E Piston 09/11/08
     Read & React
    Iran's Ahmadinejad offers congratulations to Obama
    Responses: 233
    IDF troops film themselves humiliating bound Palestinian
    Responses: 317
    Israel and PA to continue talks with Obama's help
    Responses: 67
    Vatican: Jewish charges against Nazi-era pope 'outrageous'
    Responses: 109
    Jonathan Spyer: Israel has chronic myopia when it comes to Syria
    Responses: 43


    More Headlines
    07:59 Haniyeh: Hamas willing to accept Palestinian state with 1967 borders
    07:33 Amira Hass / How we busted the naval siege on Gaza
    07:26 At Rabin memorial, Barak calls right-wing extremists 'cancerous growths'
    08:26 Settlers deny Palestinian claim Hebron boy, 6, beaten with rock
    01:48 Gideon Levy / Let's hope Obama won't be a 'friend of Israel'
    06:01 Jewish and conservative, New Zealand's elected PM promises change
    06:17 Report: Treasury may have destroyed land deeds of Holocaust victims
    06:10 Barak seeks NIS 500m for reinforcing Israeli homes near Gaza border
    07:01 ANALYSIS / Mrs. Peretz's Sderot mayoral bid goes beyond mere feminism
    17:39 Report: Auschwitz blueprints found in Berlin apartment
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Living in Israel Studying in English
    Click & Meet our students from all around the world
    Dan Boutique Jerusalem
    New Dan Hotel in Jerusalem Young, Fun & Distinctively Dan Book Now Online!
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Car rental in Israel
    Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates.
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved