Jerusalem – A man from the anti-Zionist, ultra-Orthodox Natorei Karta sect who was charged with attempting to pass sensitive information about Israel to Iran in August will serve four-and-a-half years in prison, according to the terms of a plea bargain approved by the Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday.
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Yitzhak Bergil, 47, who was arrested by the Shin Bet and Israel Police in July, reached the plea deal with the State Attorney’s Office after confessing to the charges against him.
The Jerusalem State Attorney’s Office filed the indictment in August with the district court on charges of intent to commit treason and contacting a foreign agent.
The Jerusalem Post has learned that the classification of spying for which Bergil was charged is considered relatively low on the spectrum. The sentence of four-and-a-half years was equal to, or more severe than the punishment meted out for similar offenses in the past.
At an unknown date, Bergil decided to make contact with the Iranian government in order to collect intelligence on Israel and send it to them, the indictment alleges.
To do this, he went online to check where he could approach an Iranian embassy, said the indictment.
On January 16, 2011, he flew to Berlin, and two days later approached the embassy there to tell the Iranians that he was an Israeli and wanted to speak to them. At the time he was clothed in his regular haredi dress, including black and white clothes, and tzizit ritual fringes.
He was brought to Iranian representatives, including a man who introduced himself as Hagi Baba and two others, said the indictment.
He told Baba that he was against the Jewish state, wanted the state to be taken over by non-Jews, was ready to provide them intelligence and was even ready to “kill a Zionist,” if necessary, according to the indictment.
He baited the Iranians, asking them why they continued to fail to prevent sabotage and attacks by Israel within the Islamic Republic, said the indictment.
The Iranians responded with annoyance, noted the indictment, saying that he should be embarrassed to insult them when he was seeking asylum.
Bergil retorted that he was not seeking asylum, but wanted to help with spying, said the indictment.
He returned to Israel on January 20, 2011.
He kept up his connection with the Iranian officials by email, using Internet cafes, and via telephone calls made from public phones near his place of residence in Jerusalem, the Shin Bet and the indictment said.
The Shin Bet said that under questioning, the man confessed that he worked “out of a hatred for the State of Israel and in exchange for financial compensation.”
One place where he checked his email account for messages from the Iranians was the Vital Hotel at 141 Jaffa Road in the capital, said the indictment. Two spots where he used public telephone calls to contact the Iranians were on Straus Street and Kanfei Nesharim Street in the city.
A fringe ultra-Orthodox sect established in Jerusalem in 1938, Natorei Karta (Aramaic for “Guardians of the City”) believes Israel can be reestablished only after the coming of the Messiah. The group therefore rejects Zionism and opposes the existence of the state.
Members of the sect in Israel and the US are known to burn the Israeli flag and have sent representatives to attend conferences in Iran in the past.
Last year, Arabic media reported that members of the sect met with Hezbollah officials in Beirut.
Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post
This is sickening.
his body language is very telling in this photograph.
he is obviously ashamed and coiled up like a weasel.
I hope he does thsuva in jail and reflects on how to help his brethren rather than harm them.
Disgusting.
I once learned that contrary to popular belief, it is possible for an apikoros to forfeit his status as a Jew (I believe that was said in the make of the Gra but I could be mistaken). I wonder if these NK misguided degenerates fall into that category). Regardless, nobody in my family will ever associate with them and they will never be permitted into our schools.
Now he can learn as much toyreh as he desires.
You are classifying all netura karta as one and the same most netura karta dont go to iran ect these are meshugoyim-crazy people who does these things bec they are board and want attention.
i have only disgust for these looney netura karte they make a chilul hashem daily they jepordise the security of all yidden that resdie in eretz yisroel….its about timke the gov cracks down on these crazies…perhaps they would like to move to gaza…
Again the stupid Israeli justice system. Instead of locking up Meshugoim in special shelters for them, they put in jail, and make them even more crazy, until they destroy him.
A comedya. Actually heartbreaking that he has so little regard for Jewish people and Jewish suffering. Someone should teach him some Jewish history. This is the equivalent of going to the Nazi embassy and offering them help.
[Yawn] What else is new? Is anyone surprised? Why wouldn’t he kill a Zionist, as he even offered the Iranians? This is how his Gedolim have brainwashed him to think. I’m not saying all Gedolim brainwash their followers to kill Yidden and sell their fellow Jews down the river. The vast majority do not. Of course you’ll now read posters claiming the story is a big lie. Problem is, Reb Yitzchak already admitted his crime.
And now you know what the internet is אסור.
What information exactly did he provide to Iran? The price of Yerushalmi kugel in Meah Shearim? I rather doubt that he had access to any secret or classified information, so what did his “espionage” consist of?
In the olden days, people who betrayed other Jews were held down in the Mikvah by a few strong guys until their breathing expired!
Wish we could trade him for Pollard…
He will probably be freed at the next prisioner exchange
HE IS NOT NETUREI KARTA!! He is a whackjob Baal Teshuva with (obvious) mental illness. He tried to join Neturei Karta but they turned him away because hes kookoo. Hes a one man band like Moshe Arye Friedman.
I know you all Hate NK already for their anti-zionism and trying to appease sonei yisroel, but please, dont let this super nut-job represent NK in your eyes because hes got nothing to do with them.