Palestinian Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of IDF Soldier

Malak Khamed, convicted of murdering an IDF soldier in a ramming attack, was given two life sentences in Ofer military court on Wednesday.

In the attack, which occurred at the Ofra Junction in April, Elhai Taharlev, Hy”d, was killed and a second soldier injured.

Before the court announced the ruling, Taharlev’s father Rabbi Ehud Taharlev, ybc”t, said, “We asked the judges to ensure that the terrorist never sees the light of day again, and we believe that is what will happen and that they will judge fairly. However, unfortunately, Israeli jails offer all the amenities of a five-star hotel.

“I hope that the judges rule properly, and that their ruling hurts the terrorist and all those who raised him and sent him out to us. The ruling should hurt them and should provide deterrence in a fashion that causes future terrorists to think twice before harming a Jew.”

Khamed was also ordered to financially compensate the Taharlev family, as well as the family of the injured soldier, though it was not clear how he would do this.