An American-born Jewish settler was indicted on Thursday, November 12, for a string of murderous hate-crime attacks against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, reported Yediot Aharonot.
"The indictment is unusual both in terms of the extent of the offenses and their severity, and in terms of the length of time over which he committed the offenses," said prosecutor Sagi Ofir.
"It is mostly usual because of the hatred Teitel showed to individuals and groups whose opinions and lifestyles are different from his own."
Dubbed as the "Jewish terrorist" by Israeli press, Yaakov Teital, 37, was arrested on October 7 in a neighborhood of Al-Quds (occupied East Jerusalem) inhabited by Ultra-Jewish settlers.
Authorities found an arsenal of weapons, including a sniper rifle, an M15 machine gun, an M16 automatic rifle and a Glock pistol, as well as a bomb-making factory in his home.
He confessed during police investigations that he murdered two Palestinians in the West Bank and Al-Quds (occupied East Jerusalem).
Teital, a resident of the northern West Bank settlement of Shvut Rahel, also confessed to carrying out bomb attacks against Palestinian civilians.
The lengthy indictment filed in Jerusalem district court includes 14 charges including pre-meditated murder, three cases of attempted murder, carrying a weapon, manufacturing a weapon, and incitement to violence.
If convicted, he will join a hall of infamy of killer Jewish settlers, including Baruch Goldstein who massacred 29 Palestinian worshippers inside Al-Ibrahimi Mosque in Al-Khalil in 1994.
Another Jewish settler from Teitel's Shvut Rachel settlement was arrested in 2005 for murdering five Palestinians.
More than 250,000 Jewish settlers live in the occupied West Bank among roughly 2.4 million Palestinians.
The international community considers all Israeli settlements in the occupied West bank, estimated at more than 164 settlements, illegal.
Divine Mission
The Jewish settler, who was born and raised in Florida, said he was on a divine mission to kill Palestinians.
"It was a pleasure and honor to serve my God," Teitel told reporters as he arrived at court.
Teitel told police investigators that he was "God's emissary in Israel" and that he came to Israel in 1997 to kill Palestinians.
He confessed that in July 1997 he shot and killed Sameer Bleesy, a Palestinian cab driver from Al-Quds.
A few months later, he shot and killed Issa Mustafa, from Yatta town near the West Bank town of Al-Khalil (Hebron).
He also carried out a series of deadly bomb attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
According to the Shin Bet, Teitel planted an explosive charge in front of the home of a Palestinian family in the village of Sajur, near Ramallah, in March 2003.
A year later, he placed bottles of poison-laced juice in a Palestinian village near the settlement of Eli.
In April 2007, the settler planted an explosive charge in an Arab area near Beit Shemesh settlement.
"God is proud of what I have done," Teitel told reporters Thursday.
Related Links:
Israel to Dismiss 20 Palestinian Women for Information on Corporal Shalit
Jewish Settlements Violate Law: UN
Israeli Soldier: Gazans were used as human shields to check militants' homes
Senior UN officials survey ‘shocking’ aftermath of Israeli offensive in Gaza
Sri Lankan journalist emphasizes need to bring to trial Israeli leaders
