, ▁non - J ew s , ▁who ▁have ▁a ▁different ▁soul ▁from ▁Jewish ▁people , ▁had ▁been ▁murder ed , ▁and ▁though ▁some ▁pun ishment ▁was ▁necessary , ▁it ▁should ▁reflect ▁this ▁distinction . ▁ ▁The ▁pres iding ▁judge ▁at ▁their ▁trial , ▁Sh m uel ▁F inkel stein , ▁c ited ▁ex ten u ating ▁circumstances ▁by ▁contrast ed ▁what ▁he ▁regarded ▁as ▁pre med itated ▁Palest in ian ▁terror ism ▁to ▁the ▁ret ali atory ▁acts ▁of ▁the ▁Under ground ▁activ ists : ▁This ▁group ▁of ▁men ▁... ▁is ▁unique . ▁Most , ▁if ▁not ▁all ▁of ▁them , ▁have ▁both ▁yes h iva ▁training ▁and ▁academic ▁education . ▁Most ▁have ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁ID F ▁( Is rael ▁Def ense ▁Forces ) ▁and ▁have ▁taken ▁part ▁in ▁Israel ’ s ▁wars ▁... ▁Most ▁are ▁men ▁of ▁Tor ah ▁and ▁labor , ▁who ▁left ▁behind ▁an ▁easy ▁of ▁life ▁and ▁went ▁with ▁their ▁families ▁to ▁establish , ▁develop , ▁and ▁protect ▁Jewish ▁settlement s ... ▁The ▁cr imes ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁defend ants ▁lay ▁in ▁the ▁fer v our ▁of ▁their ▁religious ▁faith ; ▁like ▁the ▁reb els ▁under ▁Kor ach , ▁each ▁picked ▁up ▁his ▁pan ▁of ▁inc ense ▁and ▁loaded ▁it ▁with ▁id ol atr ous ▁fire ▁against ▁God ’ s ▁command . ▁The ▁trans gress ions ▁of ▁people ▁like ▁these ▁are ▁not ▁like ▁the ▁cr imes ▁committed ▁by ▁others ▁who ▁aim ed ▁to ▁destroy , ▁kill , ▁anni h il ate . ▁ ▁Judge ▁Ya akov