Settler convicted of murdering 4 Palestinians
Asher Weisgan, father of two, decides to murder Palestinian workers in West Bank settlement of Shilo in bid to thwart disengagement. Defense attorney: internal voices called on accused once to not only think about himself and his family, but about entire nation
Three judges, headed by Justice Moshe Ravid, convicted Weisgan of four counts of murder and attempted murder, sabotage and injury under severe circumstances.
The defense lawyer, Attorney Asher Ohayon, explained during the trial that "internal voices called on the accused once and again to not only think about himself and his family, but about the entire nation, and carry out an act of self-sacrifice in order to prevent the disaster."
During the discussion, a stormy argument broke out between Judge Ravid and Attorney Ohayon, in light of an amendment made in the court ruling from one murder charge to four murder charges.
The judges wrote in the verdict: "The basic prohibition of 'Thou shall not murder,' which is part of the Ten Commandments and also constitutes part of the seven mitzvahs, reflects the minimum of legal norms of the entire humanity – the Jewish and the non-Jewish.
Regarding the claim that the disengagement plan could be thwarted, the judges wrote: "One must not see an act of an elected government as a 'traitor,' even if one believes that a certain future to the public is being created."
Waiting for verdict (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
Weisgan, a resident of the settlement Shvut Rachel and father of two, murdered four Palestinians, well known to him, working with him at the "Ortal" aluminum factory in the West Bank settlement of Shilo and attempted to murder another on August 2005.
After the incident, Weisgan claimed he acted out of attempt to thwart the disengagement plan and by his belief that his actions would encourage more people to do so.
