Over 5,000 individuals have contributed over 1 million shekels or over $260,000 to Amiram Ben-Uliel within a 24-hour period. Ben-Uliel was found guilty of murder for the firebombing of the Dawabsheh family's home in the West Bank in 2015, killing a baby and his parents and severely wounding a 4-year-old boy. His supporters say that the confession was obtained under torture, using what the Shin Bet calls “special measures.”
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The crowdfunding initiative is set to continue in the coming days, with the Justice for Amiram headquarters anticipating a substantial and supportive reaction. Their resolute statement emphasizes their unwavering commitment to pursue justice: "We will not rest nor be silent until justice is served."
Amiram Ben-Uliel has previously confessed to committing murder during his interrogation, even going so far as to reenact the crime. Initially, he was found guilty by the Lod District Court in 2020, and in September of that same year, he received a sentence of three life imprisonments along with an additional 20 years. Subsequently, Ben-Uliel appealed his murder conviction, but the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the appeal.
The Justice for Amiram organization recently held a conference under the banner "Taking responsibility and collaborating for the rescue of Amiram Ben-Uliel," where notables such as former intelligence analyst for the US government Jonathan Pollard, far-right Knesset lawmaker Limor Son Har-Melech, Rabbi Reuven Ben-Uliel (Amiram's father), and conservative journalist Arnon Segal gave speeches.
Son Har-Melech called Amiram a "saint," which did not sit well with lawmaker Ahmad Tibi, who responded by referring to her political party, Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power), as "a Neo-Nazi Party," saying she might as well be wearing a brown uniform, in reference to the Nazi militia party Sturmabteilung, more colloquially known as Brown Shirts.
Yael Shevach, widow of the late Rabbi Raziel Shevach, who was killed in a terrorist attack in 2018, said: "I contributed a nominal sum, but it was more about the symbolism behind it, as I firmly believe in the justness of the struggle for justice. I am of the opinion that we cannot tolerate the existence of such a flawed system of judgment in the State of Israel without speaking up. I do not believe that any individual, regardless of the severity of their conviction, should be subjected to such conditions. I want to emphasize that I am not advocating for his release."
Shevach further questioned the verdict. "I believe we should also fight for this, that every prisoner, especially high-profile ones, should have conditions of a fair trial. I cannot accept that there are people who know he is the one who committed the murder, and we all just have to accept it as fait accompli. If you have something on him, then the public has the right to know. We have seen in many cases that there is a reason to reconsider," she said.
The Justice for Amiram organization said in a statement that: "We will not rest until the Shin Bet discontinues the interrogation of Amiram. In a civilized nation, individuals are not subjected to shackles, just as terrorists who have committed acts of violence against Jews are not treated in such a manner.
"This is especially true when it occurs subsequent to a deeply questionable conviction, where Amiram was coerced into confessing under severe torture while consistently denying any involvement in the crime. Amiram is entitled to a fair trial that relies on concrete evidence, and confessions should not be coerced in the absence of such evidence. We will persist until a fair trial is afforded to Amiram," the statement said.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, both opposition members at the time of Amiram's conviction, responded to the verdict by calling it "a black day for democracy" and "one the lowest points for the Israeli judiciary."