Suspect
Photo: Motti Kimchi
Rape victim asks State to recognize crime as terror act
Tel Aviv District Court to sentence Beni Jaber, accused of raping two teens in May 2012, on Wednesday. Victim writes to judges, asks that they recognize rape as act of terror
The victim
of a rape that took place in the Tel Aviv Gan-Hair parking lot last year motioned the Tel Aviv District Court to be recognized as the victim of a terror attack, insisting that the rape was a hate crime targeted at Israeli Jews, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Tuesday.
The rapist, Benny Jaber, 21, a Palestinian from Nablus who had been living in Israel illegally, was apprehended in May 2012 for the rape of 17-year-old boy and girl.
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His sentence is to be delivered Wednesday. The prosecution is requesting that he be sentenced to at least 20 years in prison.
"He murdered my soul," said the girl who was raped. Earlier this week she delivered a personal letter to the judges, asking that they dub the rape a hate crime.
If her request is granted, she will be considered a victim of a terror attack, thereby eligible to disability benefits by the Defense Ministry.
By turning to the judges, the victim defied the prosecution's refusal to take her demand to the court.
The rape occurred when the girl and her 17-year-old boyfriend entered the Gan Hair parking lot, where their car was parked, at around 3:30 am in May 2012. The attacker ambushed the two and threatened them with a blunt object, forcing them into a nearby public bathroom, where he raped them.
In his plea bargain, Jaber admitted to having attacked the two and confessed to allegations of rape.
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