From the Liveblog of
Sunday, May 25, 2025
State says it will appeal conviction, sentencing of educators over 2018 flash flood disaster
Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter
The State Attorney’s Office announces that it intends to file an appeal against both the conviction and the sentencing of two educators found guilty of the negligent manslaughter of 10 pre-military academy students in the Tzafit riverbed disaster in 2018.
The pair was accused of disregarding multiple inclement weather warnings ahead of a trip to the desert riverbed, insisting on going ahead with the plan and scorning safety concerns. Flash floods later caused the 10 deaths and injured many others.
Yuval Kahan, the former principal of the Bnei Zion premilitary academy, and Aviv Bardichev, a former teacher at the institution, were found guilty by the Beersheba District Court of negligent manslaughter in November, but were acquitted on the more serious offense of negligent homicide.
The court sentenced the two to seven years in prison in April, but the State Attorney’s Office had sought a 12-year prison sentence.
The families of the victims and the attorneys of Kahan and Bardichev have been informed of the decision to appeal, the State Attorney’s Southern District says in a statement.
The Times of Israel Community.