Two Israelis convicted over kidnap and burning of 16-year old Palestinian

A Jerusalem court has convicted two Israeli youths over the killing of 16-year-old Palestinian Mohammed Abu Khdeir, who was burned to death in east Jerusalem.

The the kidnapping and killing set off days of violent protests in Arab areas of Jerusalem and northern Israel.

Abu Khdeir was taken on July 2 near his home in east Jerusalem and his charred body was later found in a forest.

The court delayed the verdict against a third suspect in the case, 31-year-old Yosef Haim Ben David, following a last-minute insanity disorder plea.

Lawyer Asher Ohayon had claimed his client is psychologically unfit for trial.

Abu Khdeir was burned to death by Israeli extremists in revenge for the killings of three Israeli teens in the West Bank. Their deaths set off a chain of events that led to the 50-day Gaza war.

Abu Khdeir’s father Hussein denounced the verdict, telling Israeli Army Radio that the trial was “a lie.”