Adv. Menashe Yado from the Honenu legal advocacy organization submitted a 122,000 shekel lawsuit to the Jerusalem Magistrates' Court on behalf of six hilltop youths from the Binyamin Region.
The suit was submitted against Lieutenant Colonel G., a reservist battalion commander, who, according to the claimants, opened fire over their heads while evicting an encampment on Mount Ba'al Hazor.
The incident occurred on Friday night two weeks ago. According to the lawsuit, during the eviction, the commander fired in the air over the youths' heads, as soldiers tossed gas grenades at them.
According to Adv. Yado, "The battalion commander threatened the plaintiffs with his gun, they exited their vehicle and raised their hands in surrender... while this was occurring, live fire was discharged above the heads of the youths."
The suit states that one of the youths filmed the incident, but the commander approached him, aimed his weapon at 90 degrees, and hit the cellphone to prevent him from continuing to film. They also claimed that during the incident, gas grenades and live bullets were used, and a short time later, a large number of bullet casings were found. Adv. Yado added that the commander was heard saying on the phone: "Either you come here or I kill them."
According to Yado, “The lawsuit was filed regarding a reckless shooting incident that received no investigative, command, or disciplinary attention. Law enforcement and government authorities abandon the young settlers to hate attacks by armed individuals in uniform, which over the past year have exacted a heavy toll and could still tragically result in fatalities. The shooting in the area is backed by heavy media coverage that distorts the victims of the shooting as demons and presents the reckless use of weapons as self-defense, and under this heavy media veil, the settlement is left exposed to live gunfire—something unprecedented. Therefore, the lawsuit is being filed.”