Brazil extradites Israeli settler convicted of killing Palestinian

Brazil extradites Israeli settler convicted of killing Palestinian
Yehoshua Elitzur shot and killed Palestinian driver Sael Jabara al-Shatiya near the Palestinian city of Nablus while armed with an M-16 assault rifle.
1 min read
18 January, 2018
Yehoshua Elitzur shot and killed a Palestinian driver near Nablus in 2004. [Getty]

An Israeli settler convicted of murdering a Palestinian taxi driver in the occupied West Bank in 2004 was extradited from Brazil on Wednesday.

Yehoshua Elitzur shot and killed Palestinian driver Sael Jabara al-Shatiya near the Palestinian city of Nablus while armed with an M-16 assault rifle.

The Israeli settler had flagged down the Palestinian driver after standing in the middle of the road and demanding he pull over, according to the indictment against him.

Shatiya continued driving and pulled over further down the road, at which point he was gunned down by Elitzur, who claimed self defense.

Witnesses at the scene rejected Elitzur's claim.

He was placed under house arrest at the Itamar settlement near Nablus but fled the country instead of attending court hearings.

He is now set to appear before a judge on Thursday, Honenu, a group that mainly defends Israelis accused of assaulting Palestinians, told AFP.

Arrested in June 2015 in Brazil, Elitzur's extradition came after a lengthy procedure involving Interpol, according to Israeli media reports.

He faces 20 years in prison for the murder.