Family's Fight for Harsher Sentence in Fatal Negev Crash Continues
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
The family of two victims killed in a Negev road accident is fighting for a harsher sentence for the convicted driver, Suria Abu Arar. After the driver received seven years in prison, the family's request to appeal for a longer sentence was reportedly denied by the Attorney General. The victims' sister is now calling for public attention to re-examine the decision, while the State Prosecutor's Office stated an appeal is still under review.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- The family of Shachaf Danino and Eliab Abukasis is seeking a harsher sentence for the driver convicted in their deaths.
- Driver Suria Abu Arar was sentenced to seven years in prison for causing the fatal accident.
- The family's request to appeal for an increased sentence was reportedly denied by the Attorney General.
- The victims' sister, Sharon, is launching a public campaign to reconsider the sentence.
- The State Prosecutor's Office stated that an appeal is still under review.
The family of Shachaf Danino and Eliab Abukasis, who were killed in a fatal road accident in the Negev, is continuing its struggle for a harsher sentence for the driver convicted of their deaths. Suria Abu Arar was sentenced by the Beersheba District Court to seven years in prison, a 20-year driving ban, and NIS 180,000 in compensation to each family. Following the sentencing, the family of Shachaf approached the State Prosecutor's Office requesting to appeal the verdict and seek a heavier punishment. However, the family stated they were informed by the Attorney General that the case did not warrant an appeal to increase the sentence.
The family finds this decision difficult to accept, having lost two young lives in the crash. Sharon, Shachaf's sister, is now seeking to bring public attention back to the case, hoping public discourse will lead to a reconsideration of the decision. She expressed frustration with the response, stating, "For us, as a family that lost two children in one moment, this is a response that is hard to comprehend."
The fatal accident occurred in February 2025 when Abu Arar, convicted of two counts of manslaughter by negligence, attempted to overtake another vehicle by crossing a solid line. She collided head-on with the car carrying Shachaf and Eliab, who were on their way to pick strawberries. The couple, who were engaged and planning to start a family, died at the scene.
Sharon emphasized her determination to continue the legal and public fight, stating, "I am not asking for mercy, I am asking to be heard, to have questions asked, and not to move on." She stressed that the legal battle is not just about the prison sentence but also about acknowledging the profound loss and the lives cut short. "Shachaf is my sister. Eliab was part of our family. They were not a number in a file or a statistic. They were whole lives, dreams, and a future that was cut short. And I am not going to stop fighting for them."
In response, the State Prosecutor's Office stated, "The possibility of filing an appeal against the sentence is still being examined by the relevant parties in the State Prosecutor's Office, and no decision has yet been made on the matter."