A man from the Jordan Valley prevented terrorists from throwing rocks at Israeli cars only to be arrested by the police.
In a hearing, the police requested to extend his detention for five days, but the judge approved an extension of only one day. After additional complaints were received by the police from others who were present at the event, and the council's security officer provided his testimony, the police decided to release him many hours later and not to wait for the hearing the next day in court.
The incident occurred last Friday in the Al-Auja stream in the Jordan Valley, when several Arabs began to attack Israelis who were present. During the hearing, it was revealed that although police forces were summoned to the scene, no attacker was arrested or interrogated.
The man, who was in the stream with his small children at that time, witnessed the attack and the arrival of the police but did not intervene. 20 minutes after the Arabs left, the man also left with his children. However, on the way out of the stream, he saw the same attackers throwing rocks and objects at Israeli vehicles driving in the nearest lane and the opposite lane. In response, the man, a Golani Brigade soldier, drew his weapon and fired two shots at the attackers' vehicles. Police forces came to the settler's home and arrested him for questioning during Shabbat.
During a hearing held this week in court concerning the settler's case, Attorney Daniel Shimshilashvili, representing him on behalf of the Honenu legal aid organization, stated that throwing rocks at a moving vehicle is a form of attempted murder. "They threw rocks not only at cars that were driving, but also at those that were traveling in the opposing lane. This presents mortal danger. He drew his weapon and did what he was taught. What he sees is that they are throwing rocks. Even if he had shot them in the head in these circumstances, he should be shaken by the hand and thanked for doing what the police did not do. Does the Israel Police work for them?"
The lawyer further questioned why those rioters were not arrested. "While we are talking now, they are obstructing an investigation. They want to keep the settler in custody while eight Arabs are released. They are not acting in a balanced and fair manner; there is no place to extend his detention. I request to release him. Let them question the terrorists. Those terrorists are released and the police want to arrest him instead?"
Attorney Shimshilashvili stated that "This is a scandalous event during which a combat soldier did what the police that were summoned to the scene failed to do. The same police, at the end of the day, arrested the soldier and charged him with the offenses committed against him. It is unbelievable that in a time of war, this iwhat happens when a soldier saves lives, driving away terrorists who the police call 'complainants'. These are terrorists who committed an attack and today it was revealed that they were not arrested or even interrogated, whereas there is a variety of evidence that there was an attack against Jews who were present. A disgrace for the police. The judge clearly told the investigating unit that the soldier must be released, and we welcome his release."
Attorney Adi Kedar, who also represents the soldier, added: "The police not only did not arrest the terrorists after the first incident, but chose to arrest specifically the settler who prevented the terrorists from carrying out their plans in the second incident. If the police had arrested those rioters right after the confrontation in the stream, they would not have thrown rocks and endangered lives on the road afterwards."