The Tel Aviv District Attorney’s Office on Monday filed an indictment against three Jews for the attempted terrorist murder of an Arab-Israeli driver in Bat Yam on May 12 at the height of ethnic strife across the country.
The three defendants indicted at Tel Aviv District Court were: Netanel Binyamin, 25; Lahav Ohanina, 18; and a 16-year-old minor who cannot be named.
Adding “terrorist” to the attempted murder charge was consistent with the nationalist and racist motives, the prosecution said.
Several other charges, including racist-motivated destruction of property and incitement to terrorism and racism, were also part of the indictment.
The victim, Said Musa of Ramle, was driving through the Bat Yam promenade when residents discovered he was an Arab. They dragged him from his car and beat him with flag poles and an electric scooter.
The prosecution has so far filed 140 indictments against some 230 Jews and Arabs in connection with the recent ethnic strife and rioting, the Justice Ministry announced late Sunday night.
Although the ministry takes a strict approach in not publicly revealing the ethnic identities of defendants to preserve their neutrality, The Jerusalem Post has learned that about 20 of those indicted are Jews, and the rest are Arabs.
Arab-Israeli MKs have criticized law-enforcement officers for being unduly harsh on their sector and too lenient on Jewish rioters.
Right-wing MKs have criticized law-enforcement officers for many indictments of Jews, saying they were defending themselves against rioters. Many of the self-defense claims were unsubstantiated by the police.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.