Court convicts member of cell that murdered Ze'evi
Bassal Amssar found guilty of 2001 murder of former tourism minister at Jerusalem hotel; other cell members formerly convicted
In their verdict, Judges Orit Afal-Gabai and Aaron Gabai noted that “there is no doubt that Assamer was party to this offense and played a large role in orchestrating it along with Hamdi Quran.” Quran was sentenced to a life sentence for Ze’evi’s murder.
Assamer in court (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
Assamer joined the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in 2001 along with Quran, the verdict read, in an effort to terrorize the citizens of Israel and kill as many Israeli civilians as possible.
Other members of cell also convicted
When the organization decided to murder Ze’evi in September 2001, in retaliation for the assassination of its prominent activist, Assamer planned the former tourism minister’s murder along with other organization members. The murder was carried out a month later at the Hyatt Hotel in Jerusalem.
Ze’evi was 75 years old at the time of his death. His wife Yael found him on the eighth floor of the hotel with a gunshot wound to the head.
Ze’evi was rushed to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem in critical condition, but doctors failed to save his life. He died on October 17, 2001.
The attorney general decided to try all four members of the cell for Ze’evi’s murder in an Israeli court, even though they were already convicted by the Palestinian Authority for the murder and had served time for their crime.
An additional member of the cell was previously tried and convicted of murder by the Jerusalem District Court as well.
