The Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday sentenced Yaakov (Jack) Teitel, dubbed by the media "the Jewish terrorist," to two consecutive life terms and an additional 30 years in prison, after he was convicted of two murders and a series of attempted murders and aggravated assaults against Palestinians, Messianic Jews, gays and leftists. He was also ordered to pay nearly $100,000 in restitution to the families of his murder victims and $88,000 to each of his other victims. Florida-born Teitel, who became an Israeli citizen in 2000, was arrested in October 2009 and later indicted for two counts of murder; two counts of attempted murder and multiple counts of aggravated assault; incitement to violence; illegal possession of firearms and explosives; and sabotage, in cases the prosecution said transpired between 1997 and 2008. In January 2013 he was convicted on all counts. Teitel, 40, who prior to his arrest resided in the Samaria community of Shvut Rachel, was convicted of the 1997 murders of Samir Belbisi, a Palestinian taxi driver, in Jerusalem and Issa Jibran, a Bedouin shepherd, near the Hebron-adjacent village of Susya. Both were shot several times, at close range. He was also convicted of the attempted murders of a teenage boy from a Messianic family living in Ariel, and of prominent left-wing figure, Professor Ze'ev Sternhell. Throughout his trial Teitel showed no remorse for his actions. He refused to recognize the courts authority and during his sentencing hearing he declared that he was proud of his crimes. Efforts by Teitel's lawyers one of whom quoted him as saying he had been on a "mission from God" to have him declared insane, failed. A motion by the defense, asking the court to consider his unstable mental condition during sentencing, was denied as well. The court said that "no circumstantial link was made between the defendant's mental state and the acts for which he was convicted." Attorney Asher Ohayon, who leads Teitel's defense team, said that the court's ruling ignored the complexity of his client's mental state. "Eight different experts explained to the court that his actions were not motivated by hatred." He added that the defense plans to file an appeal over the sentence with the Supreme Court. Jerusalem District prosecutor, attorney Sagi Ofir, said, "We hope that this harsh sentence will serve as a deterrent to anyone dealing in terror."
Jewish terrorist Jack Teitel sentenced to two life terms
Florida-born resident of Samaria community of Shvut Rachel sentenced to two consecutive life terms and an additional 30 years for two murders and a series of aggravated assaults • Ordered to pay nearly $100,000 in restitution to the families of his murder victims and $88,000 to each of his other victims • Court dismisses defense's claim that Teitel is mentally unstable.
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