Israeli Court Orders Attacker to Pay Quarter-Million Shekels to Victim a Decade Later

A decade after a violent stabbing incident in Hadera, Israel, the attacker has been ordered by the Haifa Magistrate's Court to pay approximately 225,000 shekels in compensation to his victim, along with an additional 45,000 shekels for legal fees. The stabbing occurred on November 24, 2016, when Tal Ichilov attacked a 45-year-old man with a knife as the victim was walking home. Ichilov shouted "knives, knives" and stabbed the man multiple times in the eye and head, continuing to assault him even after they fell to the ground. The victim was hospitalized with serious injuries including fractures and a penetrating eye wound, resulting in permanent blindness in one eye and lasting disability.

The victim, represented by attorney Amir Sharkawi, filed a civil lawsuit seeking damages for lost wages, pain and suffering, assistance needs, expenses, and punitive damages. Ichilov argued that the victim bore full contributory fault, citing a prior stabbing attempt against him by the victim two and a half years earlier, which allegedly caused him ongoing fear and anxiety. However, Judge Majda Jubran Morcos rejected these claims, emphasizing that the prior conflict did not justify the violent attack years later. The court noted that the criminal proceedings had already established Ichilov's responsibility and that the Supreme Court had ruled the old incident did not justify self-defense or violence.

The ruling underscores that past disputes do not excuse severe violent acts or diminish the perpetrator's liability. Attorney Sharkawi highlighted the decision as a significant legal and public achievement, reinforcing full judicial protection for victims of violence and rejecting any justification of revenge attacks based on previous events. The court ordered Ichilov to pay the compensation, legal fees, expert witness costs, and court fees to the victim.

This case illustrates the Israeli judiciary's stance on upholding victims' rights and holding attackers fully accountable, even many years after the original crime.