The military court at the Ofer base, located between Ramallah and Giv’at Ze’ev, on Monday convicted Khalil Jabarin, 18, the murderer of Ari Fuld on September 16, 2018, at Gush Etzion Junction. Jabarin was convicted of causing death intentionally and of three offenses of willful attempted murder.
After having been stabbed, Fuld, 45, heroically chased and shot his assailant who was attempting to attack a Jewish woman. Having stopped the Arab terrorist, Fuld then collapsed and died of his wounds.
Ari’s widow, Miriam Fuld said in response to the conviction:
“Almost sixteen months have passed since that terrible day when Ari was brutally taken away from us. Sixteen months after the heinous act, and today, the military court convicted Ari’s killer. Ari, who loved his people and his country so much, fought and protected them to his last breath. And today we see little justice being done for him. But until we learn to protect our people, ourselves and our children – we will not be completely free in our country.”
Lt. Col. And attorney Morris Hirsch, who represents the Fuld family, said:
“Ari’s murder was a direct result of the savage incitement in the PA education system and the monthly salaries paid by the PA to terrorists. We expect the court to impose a life sentence on the murderer, so he won’t be released from prison until the day he dies.”
Gush Etzion Regional Council Head Shlomo Ne’eman responded to the news saying:
“We welcome the conviction of the monstrous terrorist who murdered our dear friend Ari Fuld, and are glad that he will receive the maximum punishable sentence. That being said it important to state clearly: despicable terrorists should be rotting in their graves and not sitting in jail at the expense of the Israeli taxpayers, until they are released in a future prisoner exchange. We extend our condolences to the Fuld Family. Ari was the dearest of people, and we will continue to embrace the Fuld’s and pray for good news.”
Ari’s personal friend, JewishPress.com editor-in-chief Stephen Leavitt, wrote on the occasion of his first yahrzeit: “During his lifetime, Ari freely gave of himself to so many projects and activities for the Jewish people and the land of Israel. Ari was always looking out for the welfare of IDF soldiers; Ari was always defending the Jewish people, both in the real world and on social media; and Ari was always teaching and living Torah.”
See: A Letter to Our Readers: Continuing Ari Fuld’s Legacy
The court will hear closing argument in around a month, at which point it will decide on the the sentence.