Israeli man jailed for life after fatal stabbing at Dubai cafe

Five others received 10-year sentences

Eight Israelis were involved in the fatal stabbing. Photo: Dubai Police
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Dubai Criminal Court has handed down a life sentence to a man from Israel for murder.

Five others received 10-year sentences for their involvement in the crime and two others were referred to the Court of Misdemeanours.

The incident, which stemmed from family feuds in Israel, occurred on May 24 at about 4pm at a cafe near the Dubai Water Canal.

"After serving the men's order of lunch and shisha, suddenly one of them stood up, pulled a knife from his pocket, and started chasing a man who had just walked into the cafe," a waiter at the cafe told the court.

"The rest of the defendants followed, and when I ran after them, I saw one of them pull the knife out of the victim's chest."

The waiter testified that the men had been visiting the cafe for two days before the incident, and the attack occurred about 20 minutes after their arrival on the day of the attack.

The court heard that the victim, Ghassan Shamsyeh, 33, was unaware of their presence and was on the phone when he walked in with a friend.

Hassan Yajori then stabbed Mr Shamsyeh while a group of five other attackers held down Mr Shamsyeh's friend to prevent him from interfering.

Eyewitness testimonies revealed that the victim tried to shield himself with a chair but was ultimately stabbed in the heart.

After the attack, the victim managed to escape and seek shelter in a car in a car park about 150m away. The car's owner was inside at the time.

"He managed to open the back door and get in. At that point, I ran back to the cafe and told them to call the police," the owner said.

The victim locked himself inside the vehicle, where he ultimately died, while his attackers waited outside.

The court heard that Mr Yajori bought a penknife from a fishing equipment shop in Israel, conspiring with his accomplices to travel to Dubai and hunt down the victim.

A medical report stated that the five-centimetre stab wound penetrated the victim's heart, leading to his death about 10 minutes after taking shelter in the car.

All attackers were arrested on the same day, with some detained at Dubai International Airport and others at Abu Dhabi International Airport as they attempted to flee the country.

The verdict was issued on November 27.

Updated: March 28, 2024, 9:23 AM