New York Man Sentenced for Hate Crime Attack on Israeli Tourist

A New York court has sentenced Yehia Amin to 90 days in jail and five years of probation for assaulting an Israeli tourist near Times Square in October 2023. Amin pleaded guilty in March to a hate crime charge of third-degree assault as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. The incident occurred on the evening of October 18, 2023, eleven days after the Hamas attack on Israel. According to the Manhattan District Attorney's office, Amin, then 28, followed a group of Israelis wearing kippahs near Times Square for over ten minutes. He played what he described as "Hamas music" on a portable speaker and shouted antisemitic threats, including "Hamas should kill more of you" and "I want to kill you for Gaza." Amin then ran up behind a 23-year-old Israeli man and struck him on the head. After the assault, Amin attempted to flee but was pursued by the victim and his friends, joined by a police officer who apprehended him. Prosecutors stated that Amin continued to shout antisemitic slogans even after his arrest. During his sentencing hearing, Amin smiled and made a V-sign to photographers, explaining to the judge through an interpreter that he wanted to "look good for the cameras."