On the night he murdered the late Prime Minister Rabin, Yigal Amir informed his friend, Margalit Har-Shefi, of his intention to do so. When the news was broadcast that a resident of Herzliya had murdered the Prime Minister, Har-Shefi promptly called Yigal Amir’s home to discover whether or not he was the assassin. Har-Shefi knew that Amir was plotting to murder Rabin, but failed to take all reasonable steps to prevent the act. These and other allegations appear in the indictment presented today (Tuesday) to the Tel-Aviv Magistrates Court against Margalit Har-Shefi, a resident of the Beit-El settlement.
The prosecution notes that Har-Shefi and Yigal Amir struck up their friendship while both were studying law at the Bar-Ilan University. Amir allegedly told her on a number of occasions that Rabin was subject to the "Law of the Pursuer", and must therefore be killed. Amir also said he intended to murder Rabin by means of a pistol in his possession that he was in the habit of carrying with him.
The indictment also states that on January 22, 1995, Har-Shefi went with Amir and others to a demonstration at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, Amir taking the pistol, with the intention of shooting Rabin, who was to take part in the inauguration of a site at Yad Vashem. However, because of the terrorist attack that day at the Beit Lid junction, Rabin did not go to Yad Vashem. Yigal Amir told Har-Shefi of his intention as they were travelling home from that demonstration. He also evidently told her that he had attended at the inauguration of the Kfar Shmaryahu overpass on September 11, 1995, and had wanted to kill Rabin, who was present on that occasion. But by the time he arrived, there was no-one left there.
The indictment further states that Yigal Amir told his brother Haggai, in Har-Shefi’s presence, that she would be carrying out observation and tracking of Prime Minister
Rabin, and would dress herself as a secular woman for the purpose of camouflage.
Yigal Amir asked Har-Shefi whether she knew people holding radical views who could help him prepare bombs. Har-Shefi replied that there was a chemistry expert in Beit El, and that Amir should discuss the matter with him personally.
Adv. Penina Guy, the prosecuting attorney, charges Margalit Har-Shefi with the offences of failing to prevent a crime (murder), and providing the means of commission of a crime, by passing on information as to the weapons store at Beit-El and about the chemistry expert, in the knowledge that this information was liable to serve for the commission of a crime. The first count carries a penalty of up to three years imprisonment, and the second a penalty of up to two years imprisonment.