Police arrest Jew in Kiryat Arba
Police arrest Jew in Kiryat ArbaFlash 90

Two Hevron precinct police officers are refusing to uphold the decision of the Jerusalem Magistrates Court, which ordered them to apologize to David Viscot, a resident of Kiryat Arba in Judea.

Viscot is a 58-year-old independently employed translator. His daughter and son-in-law lived in Givah 18 adjacent to Kiryat Arba - until police demolished their home two years ago in the winter. 

During the destruction of their home, all of the family's personal belongings were left on the hill exposed to the rain.

Viscot went to collect the belongings, only to be detained upon arriving by police officers who refused to let him read the closed military territory order they claimed was in effect on the area. The officers then went on to imprison him overnight.

Following the incident Viscot sued the police officers who arrested him for damages, in a lawsuit under the representation of Attorney Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The court ruled that Viscot's imprisonment was indeed illegal, and that at most he was guilty of disturbing an officer although even that was not established in the trial. Judge Arnon Darel ruled that in any case, Viscot should have been released after questioning without being imprisoned.

An agreement was reached whereby Viscot was to be compensated with 6,000 shekels (over $1,600), along with a letter of apology from the officers and the state.

The money was paid without a hitch and the damages department of the police sent a letter of apology, but then Viscot asked for the letter of apology directly from the officers who imprisoned him, as ordered by the court - and that's where the hitch came.

The officers adamantly refuse to apologize for their illegal arrest, and in response Ben-Gvir has warned he will submit a request to find them in contempt of court.

"The financial compensation is important, but the apology letter and internalization by the officers that this incident is serious and must not repeat itself is even more important," argued Ben-Gvir on Thursday.

Ben-Gvir added "it's even more serious that the agreement on the compensation and the apology letter was put into effect by a court order, but the police refuse to follow it."

"It's time that the police internalize their obligation to carry out rulings, and if they don't we will be forced to request a sanction of fines and even more serious sanctions to be carried out on charges of contempt of court," clarified the attorney.