The State of Israel will compensate the family of a Palestinian who was left to die by Israeli police officers [2] four years ago, in a compromise agreement obtained by Haaretz on Thursday.
In 2008, Omar Abu Jariban, who had illegally entered Israel from Gaza, was seriously injured after a car he had stolen rolled over on Route 6. He was admitted to Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, with broken bones and neurological injuries and then released in a state of confusion and still attached to a catheter.
After space was not found for him in a prison, he was allegedly left by police at the side of Route 45 near the Ofer army camp in the West Bank. His body was found there two days later.
Baruch Peretz, the police officer on duty, and Asaf Yakutieli, who admits placing Abu Jariban on the side of the road - where he later died of dehydration were charged of causing his negligent death.
In July, a Jerusalem's magistrate's court sentenced both men to 30 months in prison [3], with judge Haim Lee-Ran calling their conduct "ugly and nauseating."
Following Peretz and Yakutieli's conviction in June, Abu Jariban's family filed a damages claim to the Petah Tikva District Court, with the family's legal representative Hussein Abu Hussein saying that the hospital, Israel Police, and the officers in question were all guilty of Abu Jariban's negligent death.
The state, however, wished to avoid a court hearing of the case, reaching an out-of-court compromise with the family, according to which the Abu Jariban's relatives would receive 875,000 shekels in damages.
In addition, the compromise agreement indicates that the sum represents the damages paid in the name of the hospital as well as in that of the police, with the state reserving the privilege to prosecute the officers themselves.
Petah Tikva District Court President Hila Gerstel approved the details of the deal.
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