A Jerusalem resident, Yehezkel Vershuyar, has been sentenced by the city’s Magistrate’s Court to one year in prison plus four additional months, for a series of offenses including unlawful entry into a burial site, animal abuse, and violating a court order. The ruling, handed down by Judge Yaron Mintkiewicz, relates to a December 2023 incident in which Vershuyar slaughtered a young donkey and placed its severed head at the entrance to the Bab al-Rahma Muslim cemetery, near the Golden Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City
Facing the Golden Gate
According to court findings, on December 27, 2023, Vershuyar purchased a young donkey (approximately 2–3 months old) from an animal farm in Kfar Adumim, claiming his intent was to fulfill the Jewish ritual of “Pidyon Petter Chamor.” He transported the bound animal in the trunk of a private car to Jerusalem, with the help of a farm worker
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Near the Ophel Road, adjacent to the cemetery, the two removed the donkey from the vehicle. After the worker left the area, Vershuyar took an axe and began decapitating the donkey – as it tried to turn its head and escape the blows
According to the court, Vershuyar then took the severed head, entered the cemetery, and placed it on a fence inside, with the rear of the head facing the Golden Gate and the face turned toward the graves
Psychiatric Evaluation and Court Response
At the time of the incident, Vershuyar was already under house arrest in a different case. His conditions allowed brief supervised outings – but he violated them by acting without a court-approved escort
In his defense, Vershuyar claimed his actions were protected by freedom of religious expression. He insisted that he was acting out of religious obligation, but the court rejected this argument. A psychiatric report determined that while Vershuyar was mentally competent to stand trial, he had acted under psychotic delusions and false beliefs. Nonetheless, both the defense and prosecution jointly asked the court to rule him legally responsible for his actions, which the judge accepted
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The court further found that the method of transporting and killing the animal had caused it suffering, and the slaughter was unlawful. It also noted that Vershuyar knew his act—entering a Muslim cemetery with a severed donkey’s head—would deeply offend others
Given his prior convictions (including threats, property damage, arson, and public disturbance), and his lack of remorse or understanding of the severity of his actions, the court sentenced him to 16 months in prison and an additional suspended sentence
