VIDEO - The Jerusalem District Court on Monday sentenced two residents of east Jerusalem to jail over the attempted lynching of city inspectors. Mahmoud Shwiki and Balal Waari, who were convicted of reckless endangerment, were sentenced to 18 and 15 months in prison, respectively. According to the verdict, in March 2008 a number of youths blocked Salah al-Din Street in east Jerusalem and threw stones at city inspectors who were trying to pass through. During the incident Shwiki hurled a stone from only two meters away at the rear view window of the inspectors' vehicle and shattered it. He then picked up another rock and threw it from about 10 meters away at the car's rear bumper, before the inspectors managed to drive away. Inspectors' car attacked in east Jerusalem (Video: Reuters) The attorney for the prosecution, Galit Shoham claimed during the sentencing hearing that the incident could have easily ended with the inspectors' death, adding that the attack was nationalistically-motivated and that a harsh sentence should be implemented as an act of deterrence. Defense attorney Leah Tzimel said the Shwiki and Waari did not have a criminal record and regretted their actions. Judge Aharon Farkash said in his ruling that after examining footage of the incident it was clear to him that the assault was severe, adding that the inspectors described it as a lynching attempt. Shwiki and Waari were also ordered to pay each of the plaintiffs NIS 2000 (about $500) in compensation. A few months ago Farkash sentenced another youth who was convicted for his involvement in the incident to 18 months in prison, despite a plea bargain in which the prosecution agreed to demand that he be sentenced to only nine months in jail. The youth's sentence was reduced following an appeal to the Supreme Court.