The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court issued a ruling on Tuesday night that two Israeli-Arabs from East Jerusalem, who attacked a Jewish family in 2017 as they were worshipping at the Western Wall, must pay the family 60,000 NIS. This ruling is part of a civil lawsuit filed on behalf of the family by attorney Menashe Yado from the Honenu organization.

In September 2017, members of a Jewish family were assaulted after returning from "selichot" prayers at the Western Wall. The attack was instigated by two Arabs who accused the family of parking their car near their store, thus blocking it. The assault lasted several minutes and included the pouring of boiling coffee onto the Jewish family, as well as punching and kicking, leaving several severe bruises. The suspects were arrested by police at the scene, but the prosecutor's office decided to close the case in January 2018.

Attorney Haim Bleicher from the Honenu organization led a legal battle, and the investigation was subsequently reopened. However, a few months ago, the prosecution division of the police reached a lenient plea deal with the attackers. One of the attackers received a two-month suspended sentence, and the other was sentenced to 100 hours of community service. Following the plea agreement, Attorney Yado filed a civil lawsuit against the attackers. After the time allowed for the attackers to respond to the indictment passed, and they failed to take any action, the court ruled that they must compensate the victims with 60,000 NIS, the full amount of the claim.

Attorney Bleicher, Director of the Hostile Victims Department of the Honenu organization, welcomed the verdict, stating: "Civil lawsuits are a necessary supplement in the war on terror, even when criminal law has been exhausted, and especially where criminal law has not been adequately enforced. The civil lawsuit restores to the victims what they deserve for the harm inflicted upon them, and more importantly, serves as a deterrent against those who would attempt to harm others, forcing them to pay out of their pockets. We will continue to work diligently to ensure that every rioter or terrorist who harms Jews will pay a heavy price."

In light of the sensitivity that prayers ahead of the high Jewish holidays bring, particularly at the Western Wall and in Jerusalem in general, a decision was made to significantly increase security in the eastern part of the capital this year.

Earlier in the week, the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, announced that "in order to strengthen the sense of personal security ahead of the Tishrei holidays and throughout the year, 120 million NIS will be invested in bolstering security sovereignty in East Jerusalem."

This case and its outcome underscore the ongoing tensions and complexities that exist in Jerusalem, particularly as they relate to religious observance and the coexistence of diverse communities. The ruling by the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court represents not only a legal decision but also a symbolic statement about accountability and the pursuit of justice in a multifaceted and often contentious environment.