Friends of settler teen killed in 2020 car chase to be charged for rock attack

State prosecutors on Sunday notified four settler youths, who were involved in a car chase nearly two years ago that led to the death their friend, that they will be indicted for hurling stones at Palestinians.

The indictments set to be filed Monday at the Jerusalem District Court are expected to charge the four with a racially motivated “terror act” of hurling stones at Palestinian vehicles, as well as driving without a license.

Ahuvia Sandak, 16, was killed in the crash while fleeing from police in December 2020, shortly after the alleged attack on Palestinian drivers.

In February, prosecutors said the settlers, including Sandak, took stones “about the size of a fist” and hurled them at a Palestinian vehicle traveling some 90 kilometers (56 miles) per hour near the settlement of Kohav HaShahar. One stone shattered the windshield, and another caused damage to the car, prosecutors charged.

The youths had initially been suspected of causing Sandak’s death; a video published by the Attorney General’s Office showed them driving recklessly in the wrong lane, as they sought to evade the pursuing patrol cars.

Sandak’s death has become a cause célèbre for right-wing activists, who have accused police of responsibility for the incident, claiming they caused the car crash during the chase. Repeated protests over Sandak’s death have escalated into violence and arrests.

A vehicle belonging to hilltop youth that crashed while under police pursuit in the northern West Bank on December 21, 2020. (United Hatzalah)

“This indictment will turn into an indictment of the police, [internal affairs] and prosecutors who covered up the death of a youth,” said lawyers of the far-right legal aid group Honenu, representing the four, in response to the notice from prosecutors.

An internal affairs investigation into police was later closed after finding the officers were justified in chasing the car carrying Sandak.