Juvenile Court Judge Noam Shilo has apologized after comparing underage illegal Palestinian Arab entrants to Jews who stole potatoes during the Holocaust.
The remarks were made in response to an inquiry from the Judicial Complaints Commissioner, Judge Asher Kula, who contacted Shilo following a complaint filed by the Movement for Governability and Democracy.
Judge Shilo expressed regret over his comments, saying: “I deeply regret what was said. I should not have said anything. I sincerely apologize to anyone who was hurt."
In his ruling, Commissioner Kula stated that it would have been better had the judge’s comments never been made during the legal proceedings. He added that the “outrageous comparison" could damage public trust in the judicial system, but noted that he accepted the judge’s apology and considered the matter closed.
The Movement for Good Government and Democracy responded by saying: “We certainly hope the judge’s apology is sincere and genuine, and that he understands the severity of his mistake. We thank the commissioner for handling the complaint and for the unequivocal determination that statements of this kind harm public confidence in the judicial system."
The controversy began last month after i24NEWS reported that the judge had decided to close proceedings against two 15-year-old Palestinian minors who entered Israel illegally, without conviction or punishment.
The two youths were caught by police one day after climbing over the security barrier. Judge Shilo reportedly took into account their age, thin physical appearance, and the fact that they giggled during the hearing, ultimately deciding to end the case without a conviction.
When the police, in coordination with prosecutors, requested a stay of execution in order to file an appeal, Judge Shilo made the statement that sparked the public and legal uproar, saying of the defendants: “They remind me of Jews who stole potatoes during the Holocaust."
State prosecutors expressed serious concern that the ruling could create a dangerous precedent that would weaken deterrence against illegal entry into Israel.
Following the appeal, the District Court accepted the state’s position, overturned Judge Shilo’s ruling, convicted the two minors, and sentenced them to prison terms.