03 June '12..
Sunday June 3, 10:30 a.m. we gathered yet again at Opher Military Prison, this time for the beginning of the trials of the Arab terrorists who formed a murderous cell, practiced throwing huge rocks from moving cars on Highway 60, and in the end succeed in their diabolic plot to murder Jews with the horrific murder of Asher and Yonatan Palmer z"l on September 23, 2011.
Representatives of the United States Department of Justice and State Department were present to monitor the proceedings as the victims were American citizens. The court proceedings today were focused on two of the murderers, Waail Salman Mohammed el Arga, a resident of Halhul and Ali Abed Alhadi Ismaeil Sa'adah. Both charged with the murders.
Again we sat silently holding the photograph of this young man and his son who were brutally murdered while innocently traveling in their car to meet up with Asher's pregnant wife in Jerusalem.
This time, although, we could note the way the terrorists turned their face away from ours, and from the photograph of Asher and Yonatan. This time there was no official attempt to prevent our holding the picture, since the military judge during the last hearing stated that it was only normal for us to hold the picture of the victims.
Ali stood up to give his testimony, while Waail stayed seated across the court room facing Ali. Ali requested from the court to remove his family because "he feared that they would be in danger from his testimony." The Judge asked the meaning of this request and Ali explained that he feared that vengeance would be rent on his family due to his testimony.
After a time of discussion between the judge and the prosecutors it was decided to release Ali from making any statements, and instead to use the testimony that Ali gave during his capture and interrogation by the security forces.
We sat and watched Ali's fear. We witnessed his nervous movements as he requested to protect his family who would suffer when he gave his testimony. We observed Waail's face and how he stared at Ali. We witnessed the terror of terrorists in a terror cell – something that we had never witnessed previously. We saw how fear of reprisal on his family prevented Ali from speaking out even after he already testified.
This was a new angle for us who have lost loved ones. To see how hate and fear are used against fellow terrorists who together planned, practiced and perfected a monstrous way to use rocks as the ultimate weapon to murder innocent Jews.
We, together with Michael Palmer; loving father and grandfather of Asher and Yonatan will continue to be present there at these trials. And we will use love, respect and faith in the loving memory of Asher and Yonatan z"l to try and always do good in their memories.
Yehudit Tayar is a veteran spokesperson for the Jewish pioneers living in Yesha, volunteers in emergency rescue and lives with her family in Bet Horon in the Benjamin Region for over 30 years.
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