Minister Yitzchak Aharonovitch
Minister Yitzchak AharonovitchFlash 90

Internal Security Minister Yitzchak Aharonovitch (Likud-Yisrael Beytenu) responded for the first time on Tuesday to the incident in which Yitzhar resident Boaz Albert was repeatedly shocked with a taser by police officers who came to arrest him.

"It looks bad, even very bad," Aharonovitch admitted when referring to the video that was disseminated and in which the officers are shown shocking Albert, even after he’s on the ground and not resisting arrest. The video resulted in public outrage and Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino subsequently ordered police across the country to stop using tasers. 

"I cannot, nor do I intend to, ignore the public storm over the issue of the use of taser guns," said Aharonovitch. "I do not rush to judge and condemn. Committees have been appointed to review the case and a broader probe will be held by the police on the issue of using this tool.”

Albert has filed a complaint against the offending officers with the Police Investigation Department (PID). Albert, who is being represented by Attorney Adi Keidar of the Honenu organization, is demanding a full investigation into the use of tasers by police during the course of arrests.

Former Jerusalem police chief Aryeh Amit told Arutz Sheva on Monday that tasers are an excellent tool meant to replace lethal weapons - but are being placed in irresponsible, untrained hands.