Teen’s expulsion appeal hinges on new video showing she was also attacked
A 14-year-old girl from Or Yehuda has been kept out of school for nearly two months after being permanently expelled over an assault on a 15-year-old girl, an attack that was recorded and spread online. In the coming days, Israel’s Education Ministry is expected to decide whether she can return to her studies. Her family and lawyer now say a second video changes the picture, showing that she was under prolonged social pressure, faced silent ostracism and threats, and was also attacked during the incident.
The girl’s mother, A., told ynet that her daughter had suffered for years from social exclusion, bullying and unresolved tensions. She said the new footage shows the teen tried to talk rather than fight, while other youths pushed the confrontation forward. A. also said her daughter does not deny hurting the other girl, but insists she was overwhelmed and frightened. According to the mother, after the incident the family received WhatsApp insults, threats involving a crime family, and even late-night knocking at their door.
The confrontation took place on April 17 at night in a public garden in a residential neighborhood in Or Yehuda, after a dispute that began on social media. The original footage, first circulated by Daniel Amram, showed the teen allegedly pulling the 15-year-old by the hair, slamming her to the ground and beating her in front of a group of boys and girls. A criminal indictment was filed against the girl, but her family and attorney, Sharon Nahari, argue that the full sequence is different and that another recording shows the complainant grabbing her by the hair and forcing her down.
In the appeal to the Education Ministry, the family argued that the incident happened outside school grounds and after school hours, and that the other girl is not even a student there. They also said the expulsion committee focused on media attention and reputational harm to the school instead of the child’s welfare and less severe educational alternatives. The ministry said the appeal has been received and is under review, and the committee will hear all claims and materials before deciding.
