East Jerusalem resident strikes plea deal for deadly rock-throwing attack

Abed Dawiat to serve 9 years for causing Alexander Levlovitz to fatally crash last year, will testify against other defendants

By ToI Staff 31 October 2016, 12:11 am

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Friends and family attend the funeral of 64-year-old Alexander Levlovitz on September 16, 2015. (Hadas Parush/FLASH90)

A Palestinian youth from East Jerusalem struck a plea deal with Jerusalem prosecutors Sunday over a rock throwing attack on a vehicle in Jerusalem last year, that led to the death of the 64-year-old driver.

Alexander Levlovitz was driving home from a Rosh Hashanah meal on September 14, 2015 when the group of four stone-throwers waylaid his car in southern Jerusalem.

He lost control of the vehicle, drove into a pole and was killed as a result.

The four Palestinians, all from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Tsur Baher, were indicted for the attack. Courts ruled that Abed Muhammad Abed Rabu Dawiat, who was 17 at the time, was the one who threw the deadly rock and stood closest to Levlovitz’s car on the traffic island dividing two lanes of vehicles.

Three of the four Palestinian suspects arrested for a fatal rock-throwing attack on September 13, 2015 in Jerusalem that killed Alexander Levlovitz. From left to right: Abed Muhammad Abed Rabu Dawiat, 17, Muhammad Salah Muhammad Abu Kaf, 18 and Walid Fares Mustafa Atrash, 18. (Shin Bet)

In April, the Supreme Court ruled that Dawiat’s home could be demolished for his role in the attack, but refused to authorize the destruction of the homes of the other three stone-throwers.

Alexander Levlovitz, 64, who died when he lost control of his car and crashed after terrorists threw rocks at his vehicle in Jerusalem, September 13, 2015. (Courtesy)

Under the terms of the plea bargain, Dawait will testify against the three other defendants and in return for his cooperation receive a prison term of nine years.

Levlovitz was one of the first Israelis killed in the months long wave of terror attacks that began last October. Since then, at least 34 Israelis and four foreign nationals have been killed in attacks by Palestinians.

Over 200 Palestinians have also been killed, most of them while attacking Israelis, and the rest during clashes with troops, according to the Israeli army.