Left-wing activist Eliaz Cohen
Left-wing activist Eliaz Cohenself-portrait

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit ordered an investigation of left-wing activists who entered the Arab city of Ramallah despite an army directive prohibiting Israeli citizens from entering areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority.

Five months ago a group of nine left-wing activists from Kfar Etzion visited Ramallah and were attacked by Arabs who set on fire one of the cars the Israelis were travelling in. The activists were evacuated by Palestinian Authority security forces.

In the wake of an Arutz Sheva interview with poet Eliaz Cohen, one of the activists attacked in Ramallah, attorney Itamar Ben-Gvir submitted a request to the Attorney General to open an investigation against the activists.

In a letter to Ben-Gvir issued Wednesday, the deputy Attorney General said the matter had been referred to police who will investigate the case.

Ben-Gvir said to Arutz Sheva: "It's unfortunate that the police had to wait for the Arutz Sheva expose´ to investigate left-wing activists who violate army directives. Its strange that when right-wingers violate directives the police work swiftly and with alacrity. I thank Arutz Sheva for its important exposure of the story and I will continue to follow the matter to ensure that the police treat it seriously and bring these lawbreakers to trial, not just for the immoral act of meeting and legitimizing despicable murderers but for breaking the law.