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Beersheba District Court President Benny Sagi was killed on Sunday evening in a traffic accident on Highway 6, Israeli police confirmed, triggering an outpouring of grief across Israel’s legal and political establishment.
According to a police spokesperson, Sagi was riding his motorcycle when a vehicle emerged from an open area and struck him. The collision left him critically injured at the scene.
Magen David Adom paramedics were dispatched immediately, but found Sagi without signs of life. Despite efforts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Israel Police officers have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. Authorities said they are examining how the vehicle entered the roadway and the sequence of events leading to the fatal impact.
Sagi, regarded as one of the judiciary’s most promising and respected figures, had served as president of the Beersheba District Court and was known for his sharp legal mind and measured leadership style.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin said he learned of Sagi’s death “with shock and great sorrow,” describing him as “a brilliant jurist, an exceptional judge, beloved and respected by lawyers and litigants alike.”
Levin added that Sagi’s professional stature was matched by his personal qualities, noting his dedication to justice and the respect he commanded throughout the legal community.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana reflected on his early encounters with Sagi, recalling their time more than two decades ago when Sagi served as a prosecutor at the Central District Attorney’s Office.
“He was a straight and honest man, highly knowledgeable in criminal law, with a rare ability to find paths of compromise and agreement,” Ohana said in a statement.
Ohana emphasized that despite reaching the senior position of district court president, Sagi remained modest and approachable, traits he said were rare at such levels of authority.
President Isaac Herzog also paid tribute, calling Sagi “a brilliant and sharp-minded jurist” who combined immense professional knowledge with exceptional integrity.
Herzog noted that Sagi was known not only for his authority on the bench but also for his humanity, saying he consistently sought mediation and understanding while never losing sight of the individuals before him.
A spokesperson for the Judicial Authority described Sagi as a talented and promising leader who achieved significant professional accomplishments at a relatively young age.
“His death is a great loss to the judicial system in which he served,” the statement read, highlighting the void his passing leaves within the courts.
Israel Bar Association head Amit Becher said Sagi was a rare consensus figure during a deeply polarized period, admired both as a judge and as a court administrator.
Becher added that Sagi was widely seen as a role model and a leading candidate for the most senior roles in Israel’s judiciary, making his sudden death particularly devastating.
The Justice Ministry echoed those sentiments, calling Sagi a central and respected public servant who acted with professionalism, dedication, and deep public responsibility.
As investigations into the fatal crash continue, tributes from across the political and legal spectrum underscore the profound impact of Sagi’s career and the lasting legacy he leaves behind in Israel’s judicial system.