Ran over sheep and attacked the shepherd: young man from Beitar Illit indicted
Yedidya Kaufman, a resident of Beitar Illit born in 2005, is accused of a series of violent crimes in the Samaria region. According to the indictment, he drove an off-road vehicle toward a Palestinian shepherd's flock, ran over a pregnant sheep and injured another, and subsequently attacked the shepherd. In other incidents, he is accused of attacking activists and trespassing.
The Jerusalem District Attorney's Office filed an indictment today, Thursday, at the city's Magistrate's Court against Yedidya Kaufman, a resident of Beitar Illit born in 2005, for a series of offenses he allegedly committed in the Samaria region while volunteering at an agricultural farm near Khirbet at-Tawil.
The indictment charges Kaufman with animal cruelty, damaging animals out of racist motives, assault out of racist motives, trespassing, assault, and driving without a license. According to the prosecution, Kaufman never obtained a driver's license.
In one of the incidents described in the indictment, Kaufman entered a fenced house yard in the town of Qabalan along with others, while equipped with sticks. According to the prosecution, they entered the place illegally with the intent to intimidate the residents. In other incidents in the Khirbet at-Tawil area, according to the indictment, Kaufman attacked activists with punches and kicks who were trying to prevent him from entering the homes of Palestinian residents.
Ran over the sheep and refused to move the vehicle
The most serious incident described in the indictment occurred when Kaufman was driving an off-road vehicle of the Ranger type. According to the prosecution, he drove at speed directly toward a Palestinian shepherd's flock and ran over several of the animals. As a result of the collision, a pregnant sheep died and another sheep was injured and miscarried the fetus it was carrying. According to the indictment, Kaufman refused to move the off-road vehicle even while the animals were trapped under its wheels. Later, it is alleged, he knocked the Palestinian shepherd to the ground and attacked him with punches.
The indictment also describes an incident in which Kaufman was caught driving a vehicle that had been taken off the road and had mismatched license plates, without a valid vehicle license or insurance, and while violating an arrest warrant that was open against him. Following the charges, the prosecution asked the court to also order the forfeiture of the off-road vehicle which it claims was used to commit some of the offenses.
The questionnaire that will help you sort things out — which party best matches your positions?
