French trial for hit-and-run death of Israeli woman to begin
Two French nationals who ran down and killed a Israeli woman with their SUV during a visit to Tel Aviv and then fled to France to avoid prosecution face a Paris criminal court on Thursday.
The death of Lee Zeitouni, 25, who was crossing a street in a pedestrian zone in September 2011 when she was hit by the speeding SUV, has enflamed public opinion in Israel.
The incident spurred a diplomatic row between Israel and France, which would not extradite the two men to Israel to face trial there because France does not extradite its nationals.
The driver, Eric Robic, 40, who had left a nightclub just before the incident, is being tried on charges of aggravated involuntary homicide and non-assistance to a person in need.
