An Israeli military court sentenced Hamas operative Karadi Hassan of the West Bank village of Qusra to six months in prison, a 10-month suspended term, a fine and compensation after convicting him of inciting and threatening to murder Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan.
Judge Lt. Col. Matan Furst handed down the sentence following a plea deal in which Hassan admitted to charges of incitement and support for a hostile organization. The six-month prison term was counted from the date of Hassan’s arrest in March, effectively resulting in his release. He was also ordered to pay a fine and compensation totaling 3,000 shekels.
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Yesha Council Chairman Yossi Dagan, right, with Defense Minister Israel Katz
(Photo: Yesha Council)
Hassan is the sixth individual arrested in recent years for threatening or plotting to harm Dagan, who also heads the powerful Yesha Council settler lobby and has been classified as a high-risk target for the past four years and is believed to be the most threatened elected official in Israel.
The arrest took place at the Migdalim Junction following an extended intelligence operation led by the Judea and Samaria Police Central Unit, the Samaria Brigade and the Ariel Police Station, with coordination from the Counterterrorism Command Center. Hassan confessed during his interrogation.
“I welcome this important ruling and the dedicated work of our security forces," Dagan said in response to the verdict. "In the Middle East, anyone who incites, threatens or attempts to murder a Jew must know that the State of Israel will act against him with full resolve, and he will not see the light of day."
“I am not the story here,” he added. “I am a Jew in the Land of Israel targeted both for being Jewish and for representing the settlement movement in Samaria. My deepest thanks go to Judea and Samaria Police Commander Moshe Pinchi, the Central Unit, the Samaria Regional Brigade, its commander Col. Ariel Gonen and all the soldiers and officers working day and night to protect Israeli citizens. We will never fear or bow to terror threats. The people of Israel will prevail, and we will continue building our homeland even stronger.”