Teen Admits Stabbing, Defense Seeks Lesser Charge in Fatal Attack

The main suspect in the murder of Yaman Zalka, a 21-year-old man who died on Independence Day, has confessed to stabbing him. The suspect, a 15-year-old boy, allegedly stabbed Zalka in the leg during a brawl outside a Pizza Hut in Petah Tikva, where Zalka worked. According to his defense attorney, Avi Cohen, the stabbing was a "terrible, heartbreaking mistake" and the teen should be convicted of negligent homicide, not murder. Cohen stated that his client "stumbled with a severe misstep by stabbing the deceased a single time in the leg, during the altercation that occurred between the deceased and other youths." He added, "In my opinion, he should be legally acquitted of murder with indifference and convicted at most of negligent homicide."

Zalka was attacked after he asked a group of youths to stop spraying snow spray inside the pizzeria. The indictment states that as Zalka left the restaurant at the end of his shift, the youths surrounded him, pushed him to the ground, and assaulted him. During the attack, the main suspect stabbed Zalka in the groin. Zalka later died from his wounds. The indictment also alleges that before the attack, the suspect told pizzeria employees that Zalka had offended his honor in front of his friends, threatened to stab him, and declared he was prepared to go to jail for it.

In total, indictments have been filed against 16 youths in connection with the incident. One faces charges of murder with indifference, while the other 15 are charged with aggravated assault. Some also face additional charges.