Israel’s supreme court in Jerusalem. Photo: wiki commons.

JNS.org – A Jerusalem District Court Judge on Monday issued prison sentences ranging between two years and five and a half years to members of a terrorist cell from the village of Issawiya, who were found guilty of setting a synagogue in Jerusalem’s French Hill neighborhood ablaze.

The court also ordered the defendants to reimburse the victims of their various crimes upwards of thousands of shekels. In April 2014, prosecuting attorney Yifat Pinhasi issued an indictment against Mohammad Abid, Ibrahim Darbas, Mohammad Alian, and Walid Alian, all 18 years old, for arson, premeditated and aggravated destruction of property, weapons manufacturing, carrying illegal firearms, attempted aggravated assault of a police officer, and other offenses.

Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan called on Israel’s Attorney General’s Office to appeal what he called a light sentence.

“It is inconceivable that terrorists who set a synagogue on French Hill on fire and on various occasions threw firebombs will receive light punishments…Whoever commits serious crimes such as these and tries burning a car with passengers inside needs to know he will pay a very heavy price,” Erdan said.