Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Arson Murder in Mayser

The Central District Court in Haifa has sentenced Mohammed Abu Obeid to life imprisonment after convicting him of the 2022 murder of Rafeh Hersheh by arson. Abu Obeid set Hersheh on fire while he was asleep in his home in the village of Mayser. The court also ordered Abu Obeid to pay 258,000 shekels in compensation to the victim's son, the maximum amount allowed in such cases.

The verdict followed a request from the prosecution, represented by prosecutor Yossi Gimbel, who argued for the life sentence and maximum compensation, stating there were no mitigating circumstances. Court-accepted facts indicate Abu Obeid planned the murder due to a dispute between him and Hersheh. He acquired flammable material and a lighter beforehand, entered Hersheh's home, poured the substance on the sleeping victim, set him ablaze, and fled.

Hersheh managed to escape his burning home, and his sons extinguished the flames. He was hospitalized for nearly two months, suffering from complications from his burns, before succumbing to his injuries. The court rejected the defense's argument that Abu Obeid's actions were not the cause of death, affirming that the burns led to the fatal complications. The court found the crime was premeditated and particularly brutal.

Rejecting a request for a reduced sentence, the court cited no evidence of circumstances that would lessen Abu Obeid's responsibility. The judges unanimously decided on the life sentence and the 258,000 shekel compensation payment to the victim's son.