The prosecution has filed an indictment with the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court against four residents of Beit Shemesh, accusing them of participating in a violent disturbance near the home of Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg in Alon Shvut.
The defendants are Nachman Platnik (20), Avraham Fried (20), Gershon Hanon (21), and Shimon Atap (41). All four are charged with rioting, while Platnik and Fried are also charged with trespassing.
According to the indictment, the background to the incident is Justice Sohlberg’s rulings on petitions concerning enforcement of the military draft on yeshiva students. In one of the petitions, he ruled that in the absence of appropriate legislation, the provisions of the Defense Service Law must be enforced on yeshiva students.
The indictment states that on June 3, posters were hung throughout Bnei Brak calling for participation in a protest near Sohlberg’s home. According to the allegations, an unidentified individual arranged for two buses and a minibus to transport participants to the demonstration.
In the evening, the vehicles departed from Bnei Brak toward Alon Shvut with more than one hundred people on board, including the defendants. Around 8:20 p.m., the participants arrived at the settlement and began walking toward the judge’s home, guided by another unidentified individual.
Upon arrival, dozens gathered around the house and began shouting various slogans, including “Gevald." As a result of the gathering, the couple Noam and Meira Sohlberg locked the doors of their home.
According to the indictment, the protest turned into a violent riot intended to intimidate Justice Sohlberg because of his judicial decisions regarding the drafting of yeshiva students.
During the events, it is alleged that some of the house windows were smashed and shards of glass entered inside. In addition, pots placed in the yard and on window sills were broken, a vehicle parked in the driveway was damaged, shrubs in the yard were harmed, and stones were thrown at the house.
It is further alleged that one of the house doors was opened and attempts were made to break inside. The road leading to the house was blocked for various periods, and some of the protesters entered the yard and private driveway.
According to the indictment, posters were thrown into the yard bearing a picture of Justice Sohlberg and the text: “Mr. Sohlberg, stop persecuting the haredi public." Blue-and-white flags with swastikas drawn on them were also thrown into the street.
During the incident, neighbors attempted to stop the rioters. One neighbor was allegedly beaten, and his kippah was taken from him. Some residents believed it was a terror attack and took shelter in safe rooms.
The indictment also describes a confrontation with police forces that arrived at the scene. According to the prosecution, some of the demonstrators ran toward a patrol car while shouting “Nazis" and “We will die rather than enlist," and the officer in the vehicle left the scene out of fear of being harmed.
The prosecution claims that the four defendants stood very close to the house during the disturbance and participated in the gathering. It is further alleged that Platnik and Fried entered the house’s adjacent driveway in order to intimidate, insult, provoke, or commit an offense.
The indictment states that the defendants took part in an unlawful assembly that escalated into actions disturbing public peace and causing fear in the surrounding area. Accordingly, the prosecution charges them with rioting, and two of them also with trespassing in order to commit an offense.