Palestinian-American Man Who Killed Israeli Yeshiva Student Gets 2 Life Sentences

An Israeli military court sentenced a Palestinian-American man to two life sentences for the killing of an Israeli yeshiva student and injuring two others waiting at a bus stop in the northern West Bank. The court also ordered Muntasir Shalabi to pay 2.5 million shekels to the family of the student he killed, Yehuda Guetta, 19, and to the two injured victims. Shalabi, 44, was convicted of intentional manslaughter, several counts of attempted intentional manslaughter, possession of a weapon and obstruction of justice. He was accused of planning for the attack for a month, and of writing a will prior to leaving to carry out the attack. Guetta’s family had asked for the court to impose a death penalty on the shooter, which is almost never imposed in practice and has only been used once, in the case of Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann. The Israel Defense Forces demolished Shalabi’s house in the summer, despite the fact that his wife and three children, who also are American citizens, continued to live there. The demolition was condemned by the United States. Five Palestinians who helped hide Shalabi after his attack remain in the custody of the Israel Police as they await their trial.