Husband attempts to murder wife in front of son, stabs her 20 times; found guilty

An Israeli man was convicted Wednesday of attempting to murder his ex-wife after he was found guilty of stabbing her 20 times with a kitchen knife in front of their toddler son nearly a year ago.

The Beersheba District Court also convicted Aviad Moshe of inflicting serious injury under aggravated circumstances on his then-wife, Shira Isakov, as well as abusing the couple's then-2-year-old son for forcing him to watch the acts of violence that occurred at the couple's Mitzpe Ramon home in September last year, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

Moshe was charged in October 2020 for stabbing Isakov 20 times, hitting her with a rolling pin and strangling her on the eve of the Rosh Hashanah holiday on Sept. 18.

Isakov underwent emergency surgery after being critically injured from the assault and has since undergone multiple procedures to rebuild her face. The couple has reportedly divorced since the incident.

"I lost it, I have no ability to explain, I don't know what came over me," Moshe, who accused Iskov of provoking and insulting him, was quoted as saying by The Jerusalem Post.

The court, however, rejected his claim, saying, "The defendant could have refrained from his actions but chose to continue to harm [Isakov]. He spoke with the neighbors, closed the door. All of this didn't cause him to stop his attack. His statements that he didn't want her to die are no more than mere talk."

"The crime of attempted murder was proven above all reasonable doubt," Judge Yael Raz-Levi said.

Raz-Levi also rejected Moshe's defense attorneys' claim that he could not be convicted of abusing a minor because the acts were not committed against him, and ruled that "abuse can exist without physical contact when it comes to mental abuse."

Additionally, the magistrate noted that Moshe "opened his testimony with an apology to Shira, but his testimony dealt with presenting the complainant in a negative light in an attempt to justify his actions."

Isakov, who was present at the hearing, said she felt relieved with the ruling and that she expected to see her former husband get the "maximum punishment" for his crimes.

"We'll see what happens at sentencing," the mother said.

"It's good that they acknowledged the boy has been mentally harmed. He only resumed speaking after 11 months. To women who are afraid to complain, I say: Have the courage. That isn't an easy place to be," Isakov added.