The alleged killer of an Arab taxi driver in a hate crime was indicted. Julian Sofir, a 35-year-old French immigrant, was charged Monday in Tel Aviv District Court with stabbing Tayseer Karaki in the neck on May 14. Sofir, who has confessed to the murder, was deemed fit to stand trial after being sent for psychiatric examination. Prosecutors who requested that Sofir be remanded until his trial said the murder was committed due to “racial motives and his hatred towards Arabs.” Sofir hired Karaki to drive him from Jerusalem back to Tel Aviv, but first they drove to Netanya where Sofir allegedly picked up the murder weapon at his brother’s apartment. Upon arriving in Tel Aviv they entered Sofir’s residence, where the driver allegedly was stabbed.
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