State of Israel sues four terrorists who kidnapped, murdered IDF soldier Moshe Tamam in 1984

The State of Israel is pursuing a civil lawsuit against four terrorists responsible for the 1984 kidnapping and murder of IDF soldier Moshe Tamam. Filed in Haifa Magistrate's Court, the suit seeks approximately NIS 2 million to recoup state funds allocated to Tamam's parents.

The lawsuit, brought by the State Attorney's Office on behalf of the Defense Ministry, targets Ibrahim Abd al-Razzaq Biadsa, Ibrahim Naif Abu Much, Saleh Abu Much, and the next of kin of Walid Nimer Asaad Decca, who ordered the murder and died in prison in 2024. These individuals were previously sentenced to life imprisonment in 1987 for their roles in the crime.

Tamam was kidnapped near Netanya in August 1984 while hitchhiking. He was held for two days, blindfolded and bound, before being brutally murdered over five days in an olive grove near Mevo Dotan. The terrorists, then residents of Baka al-Gharbiya, acted with a nationalist motive, according to the state's argument.

The lawsuit argues that the terrorists, who caused profound loss to Tamam's family, should bear the financial consequences of their actions, rather than the public. The state seeks repayment for benefits paid to Tamam's parents under the Fallen Soldiers' Families Law, as well as future payments. The suit emphasizes the "human and moral loss of direction" and harm to the sanctity of life, noting the shocking nature of the act, especially given the perpetrators were Israeli citizens.