One of the suspects in the rape of a Polish tourist was arrested in Beit Jala, south of Jerusalem, on Saturday night after having spent five years on the run.
The 30-year-old Palestinian suspect was detained and brought in for questioning at the Etzion police station in the West Bank during an Israel Police operation.
In February 2020, a Polish tourist and her partner were driving in their car towards the town of Beit Jala, near Bethlehem.
At the same time, the defendants were hitchhiking in the same area with two other people.
When the Palestinians saw the couple, they blocked their car and ordered them to stop, with one of them introducing himself as a Palestinian police officer.
The four suspects tied up the tourist's partner, who begged them to let them go, grabbed the woman, and began to sodomize and rape her one after the other.
All of this was recorded on camera, with the woman being forced to look at it while one of them held a knife and another made sure her partner wouldn't escape.
They then stole the woman's jewelry and cash, slashed the tires of the couple’s car, and fled the scene.
Fourteen years in prison
Two years ago, the Judea Military Court sentenced two 19-year-olds involved in the rape to 14 years and 6 months in prison, along with financial compensation.
"The acts of the defendants were committed with great cruelty and inhumanity," the verdict said.
"One of those involved even carried a cold weapon with him. During the incident, three of the attackers committed several acts of rape and sodomy on the victim, simultaneously and one after the other. The latter was helpless and was held by force by them, crying and begging for her life."
"Throughout the entire time the acts were committed, none of the four attackers showed a shred of humanity, compassion, or mercy towards her," the verdict stated.