In precedent, man sentenced to 9 months for harassing his ex-wife

Supreme Court upholds stringent punishment, increased from initial sentence of just 21 days, in landmark ruling on domestic violence

An Israeli man has been sentenced to nine months in prison for harassing his ex-wife, setting a precedent in the battle against domestic violence, Hebrew media reported Wednesday.

The Supreme Court upheld the punishment despite an appeal by the man.

In January, the woman was staying at a women’s shelter together with the couple’s two children, while her ex-husband was under restrictive conditions barring him from contacting her or coming within 100 meters of her.

Nevertheless, he came near the shelter, got on to a nearby roof and shouted out to his children, violating the court order.

The man was tried and convicted, but was initially handed a jail sentence of just 21 days, including the days he was in custody, effectively meaning he would be freed immediately.

State prosecutors appealed the lenient sentence, and the district court accepted the argument, dramatically increasing the prison term to nine months.

The man then appealed to the Supreme Court, but Justice Yosef Elron upheld the more severe punishment and said it reflected the severity of the action of “creating fear and terror” for his ex-wife, and violating a court order.