Israeli leaders promise “fierce” crackdown on Palestinian stone-throwers

Israeli leaders are promising a “fierce” crackdown on Palestinian stone-throwers after an Israeli man was killed in a car accident thought to have been caused by a rock being hurled. 

Alexander Levlovitz, 64, died in the early hours of Monday, after his car lost control and careered off the road, injuring two other passengers in south-east Jerusalem. 

“My dad was murdered yesterday, the eve of the holiday, when he was on his way home,” said his son Nir. “He was killed by rock throwers. One stone changed the course of my entire life.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to introduce minimum penalties and heavy fines for parents of children who engage in stone-throwing, adding that Israel would “use all necessary means” to stop it.

He said: “These kinds of activities will be met with a very fierce, punitive and deterring response.” 

In May, Israel’s new far-right Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked introduced a bill that would see Palestinian stone-throwers jailed for ten years, if stones are aimed at moving vehicles. Previously, prosecutors had to show “intent to cause harm”.