Five Convicted in Bat Yam Lynching as Terror, Court Finds Nationalist, Racist Motive

The Tel Aviv District Court ruled on Thursday that the assault on Saeed Mousa on the Bat Yam promenade during Operation Guardian of the Walls was a violent, racist attack driven by nationalist motives. Judges rejected defense claims that the assailants believed Mousa was a terrorist, and said the case was an organized assault on an Arab civilian targeted because of his identity.

The 132-page verdict describes how the violence began hours before Mousa arrived, after social media and WhatsApp groups spread calls to come to the promenade and harm Arabs and Arab-owned businesses. One of the defendants, Yitzhak Saban, was active in a group renamed “19:00 demonstration Bat Yam promenade” and circulated messages such as “We are restoring Jewish honor,” “Some of Bat Yam promenade are Arab businesses,” “No mercy,” and “We do not want peace.” Other messages said, “Arab man is an Arab in the grave,” “I have an Arab worker here, come on let’s get him,” “Today we will do them a Holocaust,” and “They are sent off in coffins.”

That evening, dozens arrived at the promenade, where some came intending to damage Arab businesses. The windows of Shwarma Sahara were smashed and the place was looted, while chants of “Death to Arabs” and “May your village burn” rang out. At 9:36 p.m., Mousa drove into a traffic jam on the promenade, was asked if he was Arab, and after saying yes was hit and chased when he tried to reverse and then move forward. The crowd surrounded his car, pulled him out, stunned him with a Taser, and beat him with fists, kicks, clubs, sticks, a dog, a scooter, and a bottle, stopping only when bystanders intervened. His car was also vandalized and looted.

Mousa suffered severe injuries, including facial fractures, broken eye sockets, broken teeth, deep cuts, bruising, chest trauma, pneumothorax, and throat swelling. The court convicted David Botiyar, Moshe Mansour, Maor Mugrabi, Tamar Soror, and Yitzhak Saban of terrorist aggravated assault together. Acher Eitgab was acquitted of the terror charge but convicted of aggravated assault, while Yitzhak Guita was acquitted of terror but convicted of malicious damage to a vehicle for racist motives, three incitement-to-terror offenses, and four incitement-to-racism offenses. Prosecutors said they will seek heavy sentences, noting the terror offense carries up to 25 years in prison.