The interrogation of MK Tzvika Foghel (Otzma Yehudit), on suspicion of inciting terrorism, ended on Tuesday evening after six hours at the offices of Lahav 433, Israel Police's national crime unit, and he was released to his home.
Foghel had been summoned for questioning following a statement he made in the aftermath of disturbances in the village of Huwara which took place following the terrorist attack in which Hallel and Yagel Yaniv were murdered.
In a radio interview on the day after the disturbances, Foghel said, "What residents of Judea and Samaria did last night in Huwara created the strongest deterrent the State of Israel has had since Defensive Shield. After murders like those yesterday, when the army doesn’t take action, villages need to burn.”
"Yesterday a terrorist went out in Huwara, so Huwara should be shuttered and burned. That is what I want to see. That is the only way we will attain deterrence ... We have to get rid of the word ‘proportional’ and rid ourselves of the lack will to use collective punishment just because the courts don't like it. It’s time for the gloves to come off," he added.
Foghel later issued a clarification, saying that his words had been "misinterpreted. I said that the government should take action to deter terrorists, certainly not private citizens, who must never take the law into their own hands. The role of a government and of the IDF is to provide all necessary protection for citizens, using attacks and determination.”
Nonetheless, two weeks ago, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara authorized Israel Police to investigate Foghel on suspicion of incitement with relation to his statements made regarding Huwara.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir condemned the Attorney General for her decision to allow the interrogation to go ahead, saying, "This Attorney General who protected Ayman Odeh, who attacked Minister Ben Gvir, who protected Ofer Cassif who attacked police officers, who protected [Tel Aviv mayor] Ron Huldai who called for blood to flow in the streets, who protected Ehud Barak who called for a civil rebellion, who protected Ehud Olmert who called for 'hand-to-hand combat,' who protected [former IDF Chief of Staff] Dan Halutz who called for refusal to follow orders -- this Attorney General is now urgently authorizing the interrogation of a Knesset member who already issued a clear clarification and stated that his intention was that the IDF should do the job, not private citizens, and who stated clearly that citizens must not take the law into their hands and that he is against collective punishment against all Arabs and that only terrorists should be punished. There's one law for those on the Right and a totally different law for those on the Left, and this is decisive proof of why we so badly need judicial reform."