"How would I not recognize him? I raised him": Brothers convicted of attempted assassination of their relative, a social media influencer
Judge Ilanit Imber rejected the defendants' alibi. The victim has recovered from severe injuries and returned to her life. The defendants' silence during the investigation strengthened the prosecution's case.
The Haifa District Court has convicted Hassan and Said Dabah of attempted murder. The brothers, aged 29 and 22, were found guilty of shooting their relative, a prominent social media influencer, at close range. Judge Ilanit Imber ruled that the state proved the indictment's facts beyond a reasonable doubt, also convicting the pair of causing serious bodily harm, weapons offenses, and making threats.
The attack occurred in March 2024 in Deir al-Asad. The motive was the defendants' anger over the victim's lifestyle and her activity on social media. The victim had been staying in the town overnight due to a vehicle malfunction when the brothers ambushed her as she walked to her car with her former partner, Kassem.
According to the indictment, Said Dabah waited on a motorcycle while Hassan Dabah approached the passenger window and opened fire at the victim's lower body. When Kassem attempted to intervene, the shooter threatened him: "Get away, I'm telling you," and fired additional shots at the ground and the vehicle before fleeing.
During the trial, the brothers denied the charges, claiming they were in Jerusalem at the time. The defense argued that the shooters' helmets prevented identification and noted the lack of forensic evidence such as DNA or fingerprints. The court rejected these claims, relying on the victim's clear identification of Hassan Dabah and cell phone location data.
A pivotal moment in the trial was the testimony of the defendants' uncle, who had identified them immediately following the incident:
"How would I not recognize him? I raised him. He lived next to my house for 20 or 30 years."
Although the uncle later attempted to retract his police statement, the judge prioritized his initial testimony, noting that the retraction stemmed from fear of the defendants and their family. Judge Imber emphasized that the defendants' absolute silence during interrogations significantly strengthened the evidentiary case against them. Sentencing arguments are scheduled for September.
