State indicts three for ‘price-tag’ attacks in Ma’aleh Adumim

The defendants are charged with two attempted racist attacks under aggravated circumstances and racially motivated damaging of property.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Price tag attack Zichron Yaakov (photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
Price tag attack Zichron Yaakov
(photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
The Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office on Sunday filed an indictment with the Jerusalem District Court against three Ma’aleh Adumim residents for attempting and carrying out physical and vandalism “price-tag” attacks in Ma’aleh Adumim.
The three defendants, Adiv Asraf, 20, Yosef Idan Shirazi, 31 and Eliran Nahum, 25, were all charged with two attempted racist attacks under aggravated circumstances and racially motivated damaging of property.
Late at night on June 22, the three drove around carrying spray-paint canisters, brought by Nahum, and rubber gloves, brought by Shirazi, the indictment said.
The indictment alleged that when the three arrived at Har Habayit Road, Nahum got out of the car and spray-painted “Death to Arabs,” “Price tag” and “Three kidnappees” on the wall.
The defendants continued in a similar pattern across the city, according to the indictment.
On June 24, said the indictment, Nahum and Shirazi were driving around midnight and carried out more “price-tag” graffiti actions.
The indictment stated that around 5 later that morning, Nahum and Asraf met at the city entrance wielding batons, waiting for Arabs to arrive so they could attack them.
At 5:15 a.m. the two trailed their first victim and, holding their batons, jumped out of their car in front of him, as he walked along the sidewalk near the Ma’aleh Adumim mall, said the indictment.
They asked him repeatedly if he was a Palestinian Arab, noted the indictment, and he replied multiple times that he was Beduin, leading them to eventually lose interest.
At 5:30 a.m., according to the indictment, the two found another victim, stopped him and asked him if he was Beduin or Palestinian.
He also answered Beduin, but Nahum said he looked Palestinian.
When the second victim took out his cellphone and said he would call the police, Asraf grabbed it and Nahum raised his baton, saying “Stand and we will break your head,” alleged the indictment.
The indictment stated that the second victim started to run away, and when he took out a second cellphone they dropped their pursuit and fled.