A New York City man who attacked Jewish pro-Israel counter-protesters at three separate pro-Palestinian demonstrations was sentenced on Tuesday to 17 months in prison.

U.S. District Judge Richard Berman read a letter from Tarek Bazrouk during the sentencing hearing where he said there was “no excuse for my behavior” and that he “let feelings over the suffering in Gaza get the best of me.”

Bazrouk, 20, became a cause célèbre for some pro-Palestinian activists after he was charged with three counts of committing hate crimes in May, following his arrest in January for punching a Jewish pro-Israel protester in the nose. During the two preceding incidents, which occurred over a period of nine months, he also punched, kicked and hurled antisemitic slurs at Jewish counter-protesters.

At the

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