Criminal Case (Jerusalem) 41135-11-23 State of Israel v. Chaim Zundel Abramson

Verdict

The Indictment

1. An indictment was filed against the defendant attributing to him the following offenses: in the first charge - a terrorist act of sabotage with aggravated intent, under section 329(a)(2) of the Penal Law, 5737-1977 (hereinafter: "the Penal Law"), together with section 37 of the Counter-Terrorism Law, 5776-2016 (hereinafter: the "Counter-Terrorism Law") (3 offenses); operation with weapons for the purpose of terrorism under section 30 of the Counter-Terrorism Law; a terrorist act of arson under section 448(a) of the Penal Law, together with section 37 of the Counter-Terrorism Law (3 offenses); in the second charge - carrying a weapon under section 144(b) of the Penal Law; arson under section 448(a) of the Penal Law; in the third charge - carrying a weapon under section 144(b) of the Penal Law; arson under section 448(a) of the Penal Law (two offenses); In the fourth charge - carrying a weapon under section 144(b) of the Penal Law; arson under section 448(a) of the Penal Law; and in the fifth charge - assaulting a public servant under aggravated circumstances under section 382a(b)(1) of the Penal Law.
2. According to the facts of the first indictment, on the late evening of October 9, 2023, the defendant shared with his friend Shimon Cohen (hereinafter: "Shimon") his intention to harm Arabs for ideologically nationalist motives in the Shimon Hatzadik neighborhood of Jerusalem, in retaliation for a Hamas attack from Gaza against residents of the State of Israel on October 7, 2023. For this purpose, the defendant and Shimon went to a gas station on Third Wall Street in Jerusalem, where the two filled up with gasoline in two one-and-a-half-liter bottles.  Later, the two continued to a supermarket in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood, where the defendant bought several bottles of beer and the two returned to the Mahane Yisrael yeshiva, where they study.  When they arrived at the yeshiva, the two separated, and the defendant prepared several Molotov cocktails in his room using the gasoline and beer bottles he had bought.  Later, the defendant called Shimon and asked him to come back to his room.  There, the defendant shared with him that he had prepared the Molotov cocktails and begged him to join him in carrying out an attack against Arab homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.  Shimon tried to persuade the defendant to stop his actions, but to no avail.

Later, on October 10, 2023, at around 3:00 A.M., the defendant and Shimon left their room in the yeshiva, carrying a backpack containing at least three Molotov cocktails that the defendant had prepared.  The two began walking near the yeshiva, with part of the road the defendant carrying the bag and Shimon carrying the bag with Molotov cocktails.  As they were leaving, Shimon tried to persuade the defendant not to carry out what they had planned.  Later, after he had given up on his attempts to persuade the defendant, Shimon said goodbye to the defendant near Shivtei Yisrael Street and returned to the yeshiva.  The defendant continued on his way, and when he reached Shimon HaTzadik Street, he took the Molotov cocktails out of his bag, set them on fire and threw them at three homes belonging to Arab residents on the street.  Immediately afterwards, the defendant fled the scene.  One Molotov cocktail was thrown and ignited in the yard of a house, causing a fire in the vegetation near the window.  Another Molotov cocktail was thrown and ignited on the fence of another house made of wood, and the third cocktail caught fire near the door and window of a residential house.  A number of neighbors woke up to the noise of the explosion and put out the fire.

3. According to the facts of the second indictment, on October 20, 2023, at approximately 3:50 A.M., the defendant left the meeting with the intention of throwing Molotov cocktails, with at least three Molotov cocktails in his bag. The defendant arrived near the post office on Bukharan Street in the Geula neighborhood of Jerusalem.  When he arrived at the scene, the defendant took out three Molotov cocktails from his bag, set them on fire one by one and threw them at the post office.  The bottles shattered and caught fire, causing damage to the door of the post office.  Later, the defendant fled the scene.
4. According to the facts of the third indictment, on October 27, 2023, at approximately 03:45, the defendant left the meeting with the intention of throwing Molotov cocktails, with at least six Molotov cocktails in his bag. The defendant arrived near the Bank Leumi branch in Kikar HaShabbat in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim neighborhood.  When he arrived at the scene, the defendant took out three Molotov cocktails from his bag, set them on fire one by one and threw them at the bank branch.  The bottles shattered and caught fire on the front door of the bank branch, near the electrical cabinets, causing damage to the door.  The defendant fled the scene and continued walking towards the Mercantile Bank branch on Hagai Street in Jerusalem, with at least three Molotov cocktails left in his bag.

The Ottoman Settlement [Old Version] 1916 At around 4:10 A.M., the defendant arrived at the Mercantile Bank branch, took out three Molotov cocktails from his bag, set them on fire one by one and threw them at the bank branch.  The bottles shattered and caught fire on the front door of the bank branch, causing damage to it.