Israeli Military Court Convicts French-Israeli Settler's Killer

An Israeli military court has convicted a Palestinian man of the December killing of a French-Israeli citizen in the north of the occupied West Bank. 

Esther Horgen, a 52-year-old mother of six, had gone out jogging but did not return and was found dead in a forest near the Tal Menashe settlement in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory. 

Israel's internal security agency Shin Bet had said early this year that Mohammed Cabha, who had previously served time for "terrorist activity", had confessed to murdering Horgen over "nationalist motives".

Israel's army, which has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Six Day War, said in a statement that a military court had found Cabha guilty "of causing the death of the late Esther Horgen."

A sentencing hearing has been set for December 14. 

Palestinians in the West Bank are judged by Israeli military tribunals, but settlers are subject to Israel's civilian legal system. 

Horgen was among the roughly 475,000 Jewish settlers who live in West Bank communities widely regarded as illegal under international law. 

Her killing sparked outrage in Israel and drew headlines in her native France. 

In a statement, her family said it was "satisfied" by the verdict and called for Cabha to "remain behind bars until the end of his life."