26 nov 2019
The indictment is a result of an 8-year battle against the leader of an anti-assimilation group, Bentzi Gopstein, known for making inflammatory remarks about Palestinians; 'Stay in your village if you want to be safe,' he urged Arabs in one interview
Israeli prosecutors have charged the leader of a Jewish extremist group with incitement to violence and terrorism for inflammatory remarks about Palestinians.
The indictment against Bentzi Gopstein - the leader of the Lehava organization which strictly opposes Jewish assimilation - was filed Tuesday in the Jerusalem Magistrates Court.
According to the Justice Ministry, Gopstein in the past made public calls for committing acts of violence, published racially inciting material and voiced support for Baruch Goldstein, a Jewish extremist who massacred 29 Muslim worshippers at Hebron's Ibrahimi Mosque in 1994.
The 50-year-old is also a member of the radical Otzma Yehudit party (Jewish Power), which was barred earlier this year from running in parliamentary elections over his anti-Arab racism.
Otzma Yehudit is comprised of hard-line religious nationalists who have cast themselves as successors to the outlawed Kahanist movement, which advocated the forced removal of Palestinians.
The decision to indict Gopstein came following an eight-year legal battle with the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC).
Gopstein remained defiant in the face of the indictment, claiming the Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and the State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan, are part of "the Jewish reform movement's grip over the judicial system."
"They've decided that the war against anti-miscegenation is a racist issue," said Gopstein. "This is a dark day for the judicial system, where its officials go against the word of the Bible. There is no doubt in my mind that were the Maccabees alive today, they would've been thrown in jail for racism."
According to the indictment, Gopstein participated in at least five Lehava-led incidents of public incitement to racism and violence between 2012 and 2017.
One of the charges involves a video posted on the right-wing news outlet Channel 7, where Gopstein remarked on an incident in Jerusalem where three Jewish teenagers attacked three Arab youths, resulting in one of the victims being hurt badly and needing medical attention.
In the video, Gopstein is heard describing how "the police and the media are lynching these Jewish boys for no reason."
"Every day Jewish girls are assaulted by Arabs and have no one to turn to, the police don't care," he said. "These boys fought for the disgraced dignity of the Jewish people. If these Arabs want to get girls, they should do it in their villages. Don't come to Jerusalem, don't come to the mall", he said.
In other media appearances, Gopstein was noted for saying racist and violent statements, such as, "I'm not a pacifist ... Some Arabs deserve to be treated violently," and "I don't go to weddings where there are Palestinians."
When asked by an interviewer what would happen if he came across one at a wedding, Gopstein responded, saying, "I'll go look for the nearest hospital."
Rabbi Noa Sattath, the director of the Israel Religious Action Center, said in response: "The attempt by the Lehava leader to present his racist and violent doctrine as Judaism failed. The IRAC will keep tracking the racist agitation by his group and other such extremist leaders."
Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the Otzma Yehudit party and an attorney representing Gopstein called the indictment "an attempt to silence and persecute."
"What is not done to radical left and Arab leaders, is done to Gopstein," he said. "This trial is political persecution against a man who fought for the women of Israel and the good of the Jewish people."
Israeli prosecutors have charged the leader of a Jewish extremist group with incitement to violence and terrorism for inflammatory remarks about Palestinians.
The indictment against Bentzi Gopstein - the leader of the Lehava organization which strictly opposes Jewish assimilation - was filed Tuesday in the Jerusalem Magistrates Court.
According to the Justice Ministry, Gopstein in the past made public calls for committing acts of violence, published racially inciting material and voiced support for Baruch Goldstein, a Jewish extremist who massacred 29 Muslim worshippers at Hebron's Ibrahimi Mosque in 1994.
The 50-year-old is also a member of the radical Otzma Yehudit party (Jewish Power), which was barred earlier this year from running in parliamentary elections over his anti-Arab racism.
Otzma Yehudit is comprised of hard-line religious nationalists who have cast themselves as successors to the outlawed Kahanist movement, which advocated the forced removal of Palestinians.
The decision to indict Gopstein came following an eight-year legal battle with the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC).
Gopstein remained defiant in the face of the indictment, claiming the Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and the State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan, are part of "the Jewish reform movement's grip over the judicial system."
"They've decided that the war against anti-miscegenation is a racist issue," said Gopstein. "This is a dark day for the judicial system, where its officials go against the word of the Bible. There is no doubt in my mind that were the Maccabees alive today, they would've been thrown in jail for racism."
According to the indictment, Gopstein participated in at least five Lehava-led incidents of public incitement to racism and violence between 2012 and 2017.
One of the charges involves a video posted on the right-wing news outlet Channel 7, where Gopstein remarked on an incident in Jerusalem where three Jewish teenagers attacked three Arab youths, resulting in one of the victims being hurt badly and needing medical attention.
In the video, Gopstein is heard describing how "the police and the media are lynching these Jewish boys for no reason."
"Every day Jewish girls are assaulted by Arabs and have no one to turn to, the police don't care," he said. "These boys fought for the disgraced dignity of the Jewish people. If these Arabs want to get girls, they should do it in their villages. Don't come to Jerusalem, don't come to the mall", he said.
In other media appearances, Gopstein was noted for saying racist and violent statements, such as, "I'm not a pacifist ... Some Arabs deserve to be treated violently," and "I don't go to weddings where there are Palestinians."
When asked by an interviewer what would happen if he came across one at a wedding, Gopstein responded, saying, "I'll go look for the nearest hospital."
Rabbi Noa Sattath, the director of the Israel Religious Action Center, said in response: "The attempt by the Lehava leader to present his racist and violent doctrine as Judaism failed. The IRAC will keep tracking the racist agitation by his group and other such extremist leaders."
Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the Otzma Yehudit party and an attorney representing Gopstein called the indictment "an attempt to silence and persecute."
"What is not done to radical left and Arab leaders, is done to Gopstein," he said. "This trial is political persecution against a man who fought for the women of Israel and the good of the Jewish people."
19 nov 2019
Solomon Tekah
The indictment states the defendant was pelted with stones by Solomon Tekah and 2 other teens and suffered a subchorionic hemorrhage, prompting him to fire off one bullet into the ground which ricocheted and killed the 19-year-old
An off-duty police officer who shot dead an Ethiopian teenager five months ago was charged with negligent homicide on Tuesday.
The shooting of Solomon Tekah in the Kiryat Haim neighborhood of Haifa took place on June 30 after the officer, who'd finished his shift, confronted Tekah and a number of his friends after he suspected them of stealing a cell phone.
The policeman claims that during the confrontation he found himself in mortal danger which prompted him to fire off his gun. He was later arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.
The Police Internal Investigations Department said according to the findings of the investigation, the officer who confronted Tekah opened fire in the direction of the floor but the bullet ricocheted and hit the 19-year-old man, killing him.
The lawyer representing the Tekah family, Zion Amir, said they are disappointed with the decision and feel as if Solomon "was killed for the second time," but remain "restrained and noble."
“I am disappointed with the decision but determined to prove my innocence,” said the indicted officer in a statement. The officer has remained under house arrest since July while the investigation into the shooting continued.
As the decision was being announced, a group of at least a dozen demonstrators protested the charges, deeming them too lenient. They chanted “Solomon Tekah’s blood wasn’t spilt in vain,” and labeled Justice Minister Amir Ohana “a disgrace.”
"The decision was made after a thorough examination of the incident, including the fact that the officer opened fire not in accordance with police protocols he was well aware of, and did not take any other alternatives measures which were available to him,” said the Justice Ministry in a statement.
“We took into account the fact that the officer had stones hurled at him by the deceased, as well as other teenagers, and was hurt in the incident before he decided to reach for a gun,” said the statement. “But, after examining all the circumstances, we believe there is room for indictment.”
According to the indictment, the police officer arrived at a public park in Kiryat Haim with his wife and three young children on his day off. He noticed a 13-year-old boy giving money to two other teenagers, aged 14 and 16. He’d asked his wife to wait for him and approached the 13-year-old, who told him he gave the two other teens NIS 50.
The defendant then approached the two, told them he is a police officer and asked them to empty out their pockets, at which point Tekah joint the group and told the officer his police ID was fake.
“At this point, the two teens along with the deceased began cursing the officer and claimed the gun he had on him was fake,” said the indictment. “Fearing escalation, the officer decided to leave the area but the two teens along with the deceased began following him and threatening him.”
The officer made his way to the nearby parking lot where the three began pelting him with stones. The defendant was wounded in the incident and suffered a subchorionic hemorrhage. This prompted the officer to fire one bullet gun into the asphalt.
The death of the 19-year-old sparked widespread demonstrations across the country by Israelis of Ethiopian origin, where at least 111 officers and dozens of protesters were wounded, and 136 people were arrested.
The indictment states the defendant was pelted with stones by Solomon Tekah and 2 other teens and suffered a subchorionic hemorrhage, prompting him to fire off one bullet into the ground which ricocheted and killed the 19-year-old
An off-duty police officer who shot dead an Ethiopian teenager five months ago was charged with negligent homicide on Tuesday.
The shooting of Solomon Tekah in the Kiryat Haim neighborhood of Haifa took place on June 30 after the officer, who'd finished his shift, confronted Tekah and a number of his friends after he suspected them of stealing a cell phone.
The policeman claims that during the confrontation he found himself in mortal danger which prompted him to fire off his gun. He was later arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.
The Police Internal Investigations Department said according to the findings of the investigation, the officer who confronted Tekah opened fire in the direction of the floor but the bullet ricocheted and hit the 19-year-old man, killing him.
The lawyer representing the Tekah family, Zion Amir, said they are disappointed with the decision and feel as if Solomon "was killed for the second time," but remain "restrained and noble."
“I am disappointed with the decision but determined to prove my innocence,” said the indicted officer in a statement. The officer has remained under house arrest since July while the investigation into the shooting continued.
As the decision was being announced, a group of at least a dozen demonstrators protested the charges, deeming them too lenient. They chanted “Solomon Tekah’s blood wasn’t spilt in vain,” and labeled Justice Minister Amir Ohana “a disgrace.”
"The decision was made after a thorough examination of the incident, including the fact that the officer opened fire not in accordance with police protocols he was well aware of, and did not take any other alternatives measures which were available to him,” said the Justice Ministry in a statement.
“We took into account the fact that the officer had stones hurled at him by the deceased, as well as other teenagers, and was hurt in the incident before he decided to reach for a gun,” said the statement. “But, after examining all the circumstances, we believe there is room for indictment.”
According to the indictment, the police officer arrived at a public park in Kiryat Haim with his wife and three young children on his day off. He noticed a 13-year-old boy giving money to two other teenagers, aged 14 and 16. He’d asked his wife to wait for him and approached the 13-year-old, who told him he gave the two other teens NIS 50.
The defendant then approached the two, told them he is a police officer and asked them to empty out their pockets, at which point Tekah joint the group and told the officer his police ID was fake.
“At this point, the two teens along with the deceased began cursing the officer and claimed the gun he had on him was fake,” said the indictment. “Fearing escalation, the officer decided to leave the area but the two teens along with the deceased began following him and threatening him.”
The officer made his way to the nearby parking lot where the three began pelting him with stones. The defendant was wounded in the incident and suffered a subchorionic hemorrhage. This prompted the officer to fire one bullet gun into the asphalt.
The death of the 19-year-old sparked widespread demonstrations across the country by Israelis of Ethiopian origin, where at least 111 officers and dozens of protesters were wounded, and 136 people were arrested.
11 nov 2019
Neria Zarug locking himself in the metal device he built to evade arrest
Neria Zarug, banished for three months for 'violent acts against both Palestinians and the security forces,' constructed large metal and wooden clamp for his leg in effort to prevent removal from West Bank settlement, assisted by residents who pelted firefighters with rocks
An extremist settler wanted by the Israeli secuity forces devised a two-layer shield to thwart his arrest - a home-made mechanical contraption attached to his leg and the residents of the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar.
Neria Zarug, a married father of two, lives and works as a goatherder in the outpost of Komi Ori, immediately beside Yitzhar, that is as of now a closed military zone.
According to defense officials, "Zarug is a dangerous, violent and extreme activist, who is well known to security forces in the area. He was banned from entering the region because of recent violent acts against both Palestinians and the security forces."
An administrative detention order was filed against Zarug and signed by GOC Central Command Maj. Gen. Nadav Padan, which would have removed the settler from his household for three months.
According to the security forces, such extreme restraining orders are only issued to dangerous and violent activists, to prevent them from escalating tensions in a certain area.
Zarug refused to abide by the order issued two months ago, staying in Yitzhar and urging Padan to revoke his removal order.
Various attempts were made over the last few days to apprehend Zarug, who is residing in several homes in Yitzhar, but to no avail.
Although he has managed to evade law enforcement so far, his friends and relatives realized the clock was ticking for his freedom and decided to make a public showing in order to draw attention to his situation.
Therefore, they constructed the multi-part mechanical device, soldered it around his right leg and welded it to the floor in the settlement. The main objective of the device is to prolong police's efforts to take him into custody, while an ongoing protest takes place.
On Sunday afternoon, SWAT teams arrived at the house where Zarug was welded to the floor. After realizing they could not free him from the device themselves, a team of fire fighters was called to the scene.
But when the fire fighters arrived, they were met by several youths sitting in the driveway to the settlement with large rocks, burning trashcans and other objects blocking the rescue personnel from entering Yitzhar.
The firetruck turned around and returned to its station, and in its place came a military jeep from the IDF Caracal Battalion armed with special equipment to remove the obstacles.
As residents protested outside, the security forces entered the house with work tools, among them an angle grinder, and began to work to free him.
It seemed that most of the residents were willing to conduct non-violent protest, even a sort of a festival. Next to the house, cookouts took place, a clown on a unicycle arrived and there were even people playing instruments and singing for Zarug.
But suddenly, as with many similar incidents, a group of children started throwing rocks and eggs at security forces, causing both protesters and security forces to clash violently.
Several local Yitzhar leaders arrived at the scene in an effort to calm the youths. For a time, the situation quieted down, until Zarug was allegedly hurt on the leg by the release attempts.
His screams, which could be heard from inside the house, helped to raise tensions once again, and the clashes between settlers and police resumed - with three policemen and 15 settlers being wounded.
Zarug was freed from his device after a five-hour process and taken into custody.
But as military and police forces began to exit the settlement, dozens of youths started hurling stones at them. Caltrops that were spread all along the road punctured the tires of several police cars.
Protesters also triggered a settlement-wide blackout in an effort to prevent police from identifying the rock throwers.
Yitzhar has been the site of multiple clashes between settlers and security forces, most recently last month, when a soldier was lightly hurt after rocks were thrown at troops patrolling the area.
IDF Chief fo Staff Aviv Kochavi ordered security forces to track down those involved in the attack, calling the incident and similar events in the preceding days "delinquent" behavior.
"It is inconceivable that IDF soldiers who work night and day to defend the settlers are attacked by those they protect," he said.
Neria Zarug, banished for three months for 'violent acts against both Palestinians and the security forces,' constructed large metal and wooden clamp for his leg in effort to prevent removal from West Bank settlement, assisted by residents who pelted firefighters with rocks
An extremist settler wanted by the Israeli secuity forces devised a two-layer shield to thwart his arrest - a home-made mechanical contraption attached to his leg and the residents of the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar.
Neria Zarug, a married father of two, lives and works as a goatherder in the outpost of Komi Ori, immediately beside Yitzhar, that is as of now a closed military zone.
According to defense officials, "Zarug is a dangerous, violent and extreme activist, who is well known to security forces in the area. He was banned from entering the region because of recent violent acts against both Palestinians and the security forces."
An administrative detention order was filed against Zarug and signed by GOC Central Command Maj. Gen. Nadav Padan, which would have removed the settler from his household for three months.
According to the security forces, such extreme restraining orders are only issued to dangerous and violent activists, to prevent them from escalating tensions in a certain area.
Zarug refused to abide by the order issued two months ago, staying in Yitzhar and urging Padan to revoke his removal order.
Various attempts were made over the last few days to apprehend Zarug, who is residing in several homes in Yitzhar, but to no avail.
Although he has managed to evade law enforcement so far, his friends and relatives realized the clock was ticking for his freedom and decided to make a public showing in order to draw attention to his situation.
Therefore, they constructed the multi-part mechanical device, soldered it around his right leg and welded it to the floor in the settlement. The main objective of the device is to prolong police's efforts to take him into custody, while an ongoing protest takes place.
On Sunday afternoon, SWAT teams arrived at the house where Zarug was welded to the floor. After realizing they could not free him from the device themselves, a team of fire fighters was called to the scene.
But when the fire fighters arrived, they were met by several youths sitting in the driveway to the settlement with large rocks, burning trashcans and other objects blocking the rescue personnel from entering Yitzhar.
The firetruck turned around and returned to its station, and in its place came a military jeep from the IDF Caracal Battalion armed with special equipment to remove the obstacles.
As residents protested outside, the security forces entered the house with work tools, among them an angle grinder, and began to work to free him.
It seemed that most of the residents were willing to conduct non-violent protest, even a sort of a festival. Next to the house, cookouts took place, a clown on a unicycle arrived and there were even people playing instruments and singing for Zarug.
But suddenly, as with many similar incidents, a group of children started throwing rocks and eggs at security forces, causing both protesters and security forces to clash violently.
Several local Yitzhar leaders arrived at the scene in an effort to calm the youths. For a time, the situation quieted down, until Zarug was allegedly hurt on the leg by the release attempts.
His screams, which could be heard from inside the house, helped to raise tensions once again, and the clashes between settlers and police resumed - with three policemen and 15 settlers being wounded.
Zarug was freed from his device after a five-hour process and taken into custody.
But as military and police forces began to exit the settlement, dozens of youths started hurling stones at them. Caltrops that were spread all along the road punctured the tires of several police cars.
Protesters also triggered a settlement-wide blackout in an effort to prevent police from identifying the rock throwers.
Yitzhar has been the site of multiple clashes between settlers and security forces, most recently last month, when a soldier was lightly hurt after rocks were thrown at troops patrolling the area.
IDF Chief fo Staff Aviv Kochavi ordered security forces to track down those involved in the attack, calling the incident and similar events in the preceding days "delinquent" behavior.
"It is inconceivable that IDF soldiers who work night and day to defend the settlers are attacked by those they protect," he said.
