Arab man convicted of rape for consensual sex with Jewish woman

Jerusalem - An Israeli Arab man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for having consensual sex with a woman who had believed him to be a Jew.

Sabbar Kashur, 30, of East Jerusalem was convicted Monday of "rape by deception" and sentenced to an 18-month jail term. The sentence was meted out by the Jerusalem District Court as part of a plea agreement . According to Haaretz, the complaint states the two met in downtown Jerusalem in 2008 and had gone nearby to have sex. The man had apparently introduced himself as a Jewish bachelor but when it was discovered he was an Arab, the woman went to the police and filed a criminal complaint. Kashur was detained by police and charged with rape and indecent exposure. The BBC report that Kashur denied charges he impersonated a Jew, saying his nickname "Dudu" a name more commonly used by Jews may have lead to the misunderstanding and suggested the verdict was racist. If I were Jewish, they wouldn't have even questioned me.

That's not called rape, I didn't rape her in the forest and and throw her away naked. She agreed to everything that happened. In handing down the verdict, the three judge panel lead by deputy president Zvi Segal rejected an option for a six-month community service order and judged that he should be sentenced to a prison term. Although the court acknowledged the sex was consensual, it claimed the woman would not have had sex with the defendant had she known he was Arab and not a Jewish bachelor. The court ruled that consent was given through deception and so it had the responsibility to protect people's bodies and the souls from criminals. The court is obliged to protect the public interest from sophisticated, smooth-tongued criminals who can deceive innocent victims at an unbearable price – the sanctity of their bodies and souls.

When the very basis of trust between human beings drops, especially when the matters at hand are so intimate, sensitive and fateful, the court is required to stand firmly at the side of the victims – actual and potential – to protect their well-being. Otherwise, they will be used, manipulated and misled, while paying only a tolerable and symbolic price. The Guardian says Kahsur, who already been kept under house arrest for 2 years for the complaint, is seeking an appeal. Israeli Arabs represent one-fifth of Israeli population but romantic relationships between the two groups are viewed as taboo.