Soldier involved in lynch: Don't hang out with Arabs
Girl whose friends allegedly murdered Tel Aviv resident Arik Karp responds to questions at her home, sends message to young women like herself: Don't hang out with Arabs, and don't drink alcohol. She expresses hope that victim's family will forgive her, but clarifies, 'not that they should think I'm guilty'
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"I didn't think they were capable of doing such things," said O. about her friends from Jaljulia, suspected of murdering Karp as he was spending Friday evening on the beach in north Tel Aviv with her wife and daughter. "I never knew they were violent. I am sorry this happened. If I could do something, I would. I, myself, was afraid and didn't understand at first that something could happen."
O., who was released from police custody Tuesday and is currently under house arrest, agreed to speak to reporters for the first time Wednesday. Acting on advice from her lawyer, Nir Alfasa, she did not speak about the event itself and refused to answer a majority of the questions asked.
O. being interviewed at her home. 'I want to return to normal life' (Photo: Ido Erez)
"It pains me that a person died, and I send my condolences to the family," she said to Arik Karp's family. "I hurt for this person, and it is important that everyone knows I am not guilty and tried to prevent this whole ordeal. I regret that night and that I was in that place to begin with."
About the murder suspects, she said, "I am sorry I ever met them."
"Today I feel better because I cooperated with the police," said O. about her investigation. "I have no nightmares from the event." She added that she send her condolences to the victim's family saying, "They shouldn't think I am guilty. I didn't do anything that I can be indicted for. Today, I can't meet them, but hope they will forgive me."
'I didn't think it would end this way'
When asked if she has a message for other young girls like herself, she said, "They should stop hanging out with Arabs. Don't get in trouble, take care of themselves, and be careful. Don't drink alcohol. I hope they never have to experience something that terrible. They should avoid going out with Arabs. I didn't think at first that it would end like this. I want to forget about this whole ordeal. I want to get back to a normal, quiet life. I hope I manage to do so. Such an event is hard to forget."
O. refused to answer questions about her relationship with the suspects from Jaljulia or her connection to the event itself.
Attorney Nir Alfasa, O.'s representation from the Public Defender's Office, said that she is suspected of disrupting police investigations and conspiring to disrupt police investigations. The police decided to release her to house arrest.
"The crimes she is suspected of do not justify detainment," said Alfasa. "Her investigation was completed. Validations were made of the connections she made between the other suspects and the incident. She cooperated. Her testimony helped the investigation advance."
Alfasa estimated that, despite her cooperation in the investigation, his client will also be put on trial: "The prosecution knows how to make witnesses into culprits. My client was a witness to the middle part of the event and did not know that when she left the scene, she was leaving a crime scene.
"The same evening she was not completely sober. Her testimonies display good citizenship. When she saw the event, she had a spontaneous reaction to do everything she could to stop the beating of the deceased."
