Dafna Meir
Court sentences terrorist who killed Dafna Meir to life
Citing the unusual cruelty of the attack, the military court recommended that any future parole be denied him; "I was hoping that this person would not be granted an ounce of compassion to someone who committed such an act," said Meir's widower. "I feel that this happened here."
A Judean military court found the murderer of Dafna Meir guilty on Wednesday, sentencing him to a life and ordering that compensation be paid to the amount of NIS 1.75 million.
Meir was stabbed to death on January 17 2016 by a then 16-year-old from the Hebron area, who confessed to the murder.
Security forces capturing the terrorist at his home
Natan Meir, Dafna's widower, reacted to the verdict. "It's hard to be happy and receive some solace. I was hoping that this person would not be granted an ounce of compassion to someone who committed such an act, and I feel that this happened here."
Dafna Meir (L) and the terrorist who murdered her
"There was a point when the murderer's father asked for compassion. I told the judges that compassion should be given to the injured party and not the one who caused harm and to the man asking for compassion for his son after he committed such an act, which shows that his education was lacking. I told the judges that if God forbid I was standing in his shoes, I would ask them to punish my sons in the most severe way possible."
The court stressed that the murderer carried out the attack with unusual cruelty, and that denying him his freedom for the rest of his life is a fitting punishment for him. It also recommended that any future parole committee refrain from releasing him.
The terrorist first noticed Meir while she painted the frame of the front door to her house in the West Bank settlement of Otniel. He then came up to her from behind and stabbed her in her head and stopped her from removing the knife, as her children watched the exchange. Afterward, he went home, watched television, changed his clothes and went to bed.
The Shin Bet, IDF and elite Duvdevan forces found the terrorist at his home two days after the attack. He admitted to the murder during interrogation, saying that prior to stabbing Meir, he watched Palestinian news, which portrayed Israel as "killing young Palestinians."
