Teen Admits Stabbing Victim in Fatal Altercation

The main suspect in the murder of Yemenu Zalka, a 15-year-old minor, admitted in the Lod District Court that he stabbed Zalka in the leg during a brawl on Independence Day eve. The defense attorney argued that the minor did not intend for the stabbing to be fatal and requested he be acquitted of murder with indifference, and convicted at most of manslaughter.

According to the defense, the minor arrived at the scene armed with a knife, intending to join a confrontation already in progress to assist others involved. The defense's statement to the court read, "The defendant admits that unfortunately he was holding a knife that night and stabbed the deceased in the leg. He made the mistake of his life, he only wanted to help others in the fight that was between the deceased and them. He made one stab from top to bottom that hit the groin, the defendant did not intend this."

Zalka, 21, was attacked after he commented on a group of youths spraying snow spray near a pizza shop where he worked in Petah Tikva. The indictment states that following this confrontation, a violent incident involving many youths erupted, during which Zalka was stabbed and fatally wounded. In May, the Central District Prosecutor's Office filed indictments against 16 minors for their involvement in the incident. The main suspect was charged with murder with indifference, while the other 15 defendants, mostly aged 14 to 16, were charged with aggravated assault, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

The court will now decide on the central suspect's criminal liability. The defense is requesting that the minor's actions be classified as reckless manslaughter rather than murder with indifference.