| Terrorism is terrorism. |
Tytell was convicted of murderring two Palestinians in 1997, two attempted murders, assault with intent, illegal manufacturing and possession of firearms, and incitement of violence and terrorism between the years 1997 and 2008.
"It was proved before us that hatred and frustration furnished the accused as he committed his crimes, while sacred principles were trampled into dust under his feet." Judges Tzvi Segal, Moshe Drori, and Moshe Yoad Hacohen wrote in their verdict. "Jewish tradition prescribes 'Thou shalt not kill', but the accused closed his ears and eyes, murdered and tried to murder in cold blood."
After receiving two contradicting psychiatric evaluations, the court determined a year ago that Tytell was fit to go on trial for murder. The court said Tytell is intelligent and is aware and therefore fit to stand on trial, regardless of his refusal to recognize the court's authority.
Since the trial began, Tytell claimed he was insane and so unfit to go on trial, while he himself acted as such.
Tytell, a Jewish American, is a resident of the West Bank settlement Shvut Rachel. He was arrested in 2009 on the suspicion that he was responsible for the murder of two Palestinians. Tytell was charged in November 2010 with murdering two Palestinians and attempting to murder more, including Hebrew University Professor Zeev Sternhell and Ariel teenager Ami Ortiz. Ortiz, a member of a family of Messianic Jews, was gravely wounded by a bomb packaged inside a Purim gift in March 2008.
Tytell admitted to planting the bomb at the time of his arrest, calling the Ortiz family "missionaries trying to capture weak Jews."