APPREHENDED, TRIED, AND SENTENCED:
Three Palestinians caught attempting to rob ancient Sebastia. Palestinians were caught in the act damaging the Samaria archeological site and in possession of a metal detector and excavation equipment; court sentences them to 36 days in prison, 9 months suspended sentence, and gives them NIS 4,000 fine. (Yoav Zitun, YnetNews). I don't recall seeing any media reports at the time of the arrests, but you can read the whole story here. But the Jerusalem Post
says that they were sentenced to 36
months in prison:
Charges were filed for damage to antiquities and unauthorized excavation at an antiquities site. The three suspects were sentenced to 36 months in prison, nine months probation and each were fined NIS 4000 to be paid over the course of three years.
I don't know which is correct.
Some past PaleoJudaica posts on Sebastia are
here and
here.
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