A military tribunal today sentenced eight Israel border policemen to prison terms ranging from seven to 17 years in the killing of 43 Arab villagers two years ago. The villagers, residents of Kafr Kassem, were killed on the eve of Israel’s Sinai campaign. The sentencing wound up a trial which lasted almost the entire two years.
The court also stripped all officers among the defendants of their rank, demoting them to privates. It sentenced Major Shmuel Malinki to 17 years; Lt. Gabriel Dehan and Lance Cpl. Shalom Offer received 15 year terms; Gavriel Ulliel and Edmond Nach-mani–both corporals–and Makhluf Karoush, Eliyahu Avraham and Albert Pahims–all privates–were sentenced to seven year terms.
Major Mallinki, who was blamed for the tragedy by Army Col. Issachar Shadmi, is 44. Major Malinkl has been in uniform for 22 years since the Haganah period. Lt. Dehan, originally from Morocco, had a brilliant record in the War of Liberation and in anti-fedayeen action. Cpl. Offer, 27, was born in Tel Aviv. Cpl. Ulliel, 27, was born in Algiers, Private Karoush, 24, is from Morocco, and Private Avraham, 23, is from Rumania. Private Pahims, 22, and Cpl. Nachmani, 25, are both from Morocco.
Before stating the sentence, prosecutor Colin Gillon cited the unblemished service records of the defendants, in explaining why he had not asked the maximum sentence of life imprisonment. He noted also that the defendants had been in custody for almost two years.
During the trial, the tribunal had sharply criticized Col., Shadmi, who had been a prosecution witness, calling his order “manifestly illegal.” It is understood that army authorities are analyzing the judgment on Col. Shadmi in an effort to determine his future status.
Defense attorneys for the eight policemen presented character witnesses to the military tribunal as part of a Defense plea for mitigation in advance of sentencing. The defense also cited the fact that a “Sulha,” –the traditional Arab ceremony of reconciliation–had been held in Kafr Kassem in which the injured parties forgave the offenders.
It was also noted that compensation of more than 500,000 pounds has been paid to families of the victims. The wounded and incapacitated among the villagers also received full hospital treatment and were given a lump sum of 300 pounds above monthly disability compensation, plus a substantial insurance program.
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