Jerusalem Court Acquits Man Who Assaulted Nun Due to Insanity, Orders Psychiatric Hospitalization

A Jerusalem Magistrate's Court ruled on Wednesday that Yona Simcha Schreiber, who assaulted a nun near King David's Tomb in May, committed the attack but is not criminally responsible due to insanity. The court ordered Schreiber, 36, from Peduel, to be hospitalized in a psychiatric facility for six years, the maximum period linked to the most serious offense he was found to have committed.

According to the indictment, Schreiber saw the woman dressed as a Christian nun and attacked her by pushing her to the ground and kicking her repeatedly. Video footage circulated last week showed a bystander trying to intervene, but Schreiber also assaulted that person with punches and kicks. The nun suffered facial bruising and leg injuries.

The Jerusalem District Prosecutor's Office charged Schreiber with aggravated assault motivated by religious hostility and simple assault. However, psychiatric evaluations concluded that Schreiber was psychotic at the time of the attack and thus legally insane. Although he was found fit to stand trial, his mental state during the offense exempted him from criminal liability.

Judge Ophir Tishler confirmed Schreiber's guilt but acquitted him on grounds of insanity, mandating psychiatric hospitalization. The psychiatric committee may shorten the hospitalization based on professional assessments.

This incident is part of a broader pattern of harassment and violence against Christians and clergy in Jerusalem's Old City, including verbal abuse, physical attacks, and property damage.

Schreiber's public defender, Attorney Idan Gamlielli, stated that the attack was a result of Schreiber's mental illness and expressed hope that treatment would help him recover. He also acknowledged the victim's trauma and wished her well in overcoming the incident's consequences.