Some 500 people were arrested on Monday for blocking roads in the course of protesting the disengagement plan. Some 120 are still in prison, and some have been indicted. These latter have been informed by police that they would now have a criminal record, and that this would affect their plans to enlist in the army.
Young enlistees with a criminal record are normally not permitted to enlist in elite units, and must pass first through the Mental Health Office.
The Yesha Civil Rights Organization responded to these reports as follows:
"We reject with revulsion the scare campaign of the Police Department's Youth Wing. The police attempt to turn these ideological youths into 'delinquents' will not succeed. Discrimination against right-wing demonstrators in comparison with other demonstrators - students, workers, truckers, and the like - is something only the police does."
"The IDF is justified in taking exception to allowing youths with a criminal past to enlist or to be integrated," the organization states, but adds, "the bottom line is that this guideline is not activated regarding youths whose 'criminal past' was on the background of ideological protests. On the contrary: The IDF realizes that those who are highly motivated and willing to sacrifice themselves on behalf of the values in which they believe - they're the ones who will become the best soldiers and officers."
Many of the 120 or so who still remain in prison were brought before judges today around the country for an extension of their custody, or for consideration of their release under tight restrictions.
One father said that a police investigator phoned him and "offered" to release his son on condition that he remain under house arrest for six weeks. The policeman told him that Honenu, the legal organization representing the arrestees, had agreed to the deal - when in fact Honenu was actually preparing to file an appeal against such heavy restrictions.
Another father found himself under arrest yesterday and last night after he honked and passed a police vehicle carrying his son from jail. The father, a resident of Kokhav HaShachar in Binyamin, was on his way to Be'er Sheva to bring his arrested son his tefillin for morning prayers, as he told Arutz-7 today.
On the way, the man noticed a police truck that he assumed - correctly, it turned out - was carrying his son from the Maasiyahu Prison Disengagement Wing in Ramle to the Be'er Sheva courthouse. The father honked and waved, and his daughter took pictures, and the car passed the truck. The truck later passed him, and again they waved and took pictures, and they switched off in this manner - at a speed of 90 kph - several more times.
Later, at a traffic jam at the entrance to Be'er Sheva, policemen passed among the cars until they found his, which was clearly identifiable by its orange ribbons in solidarity with Gush Katif, including one adorning an Israeli flag. The policemen told him that he was under arrest for "disrupting police officers in the line of duty," trying to slow down the truck "to the extent that it almost had to use its brakes," and the like. He was taken in handcuffs to a prison, where he spent the night; he was released this morning after signing a promise to show up for trial, if summoned, or else forfeit 1,500 shekels.
"The policemen were very rough," he said. "One of them told me that he sympathized with our cause - but in general, they have been well brainwashed. When they arrested me, one of them said to my daughter, 'Stop taking pictures or I'll break you and your camera.'"
Regarding his son, the man said, "He and a group of about 30 others are being told that they can be released if they agree to a form of house/school arrest for a long period. They don't agree, however - especially since they're not even being charged with blocking roads but only with an illegal demonstration - and so they're waiting for the appeal... They're spirits are high."
One of the arrestees was represented by none other than right-wing Kach activist Itamar Ben-Gvir. Ben-Gvir asked to represent him under a special regulation allowing non-lawyers to represent an accused. The Prosecution objected, citing Ben-Gvir's past, but he said that he had already represented defendants in court. In the end, the judge allowed the request - and later rejected the police request for extension of custody, ordering Ben-Gvir's "client" released.
Young enlistees with a criminal record are normally not permitted to enlist in elite units, and must pass first through the Mental Health Office.
The Yesha Civil Rights Organization responded to these reports as follows:
"We reject with revulsion the scare campaign of the Police Department's Youth Wing. The police attempt to turn these ideological youths into 'delinquents' will not succeed. Discrimination against right-wing demonstrators in comparison with other demonstrators - students, workers, truckers, and the like - is something only the police does."
"The IDF is justified in taking exception to allowing youths with a criminal past to enlist or to be integrated," the organization states, but adds, "the bottom line is that this guideline is not activated regarding youths whose 'criminal past' was on the background of ideological protests. On the contrary: The IDF realizes that those who are highly motivated and willing to sacrifice themselves on behalf of the values in which they believe - they're the ones who will become the best soldiers and officers."
Many of the 120 or so who still remain in prison were brought before judges today around the country for an extension of their custody, or for consideration of their release under tight restrictions.
One father said that a police investigator phoned him and "offered" to release his son on condition that he remain under house arrest for six weeks. The policeman told him that Honenu, the legal organization representing the arrestees, had agreed to the deal - when in fact Honenu was actually preparing to file an appeal against such heavy restrictions.
Another father found himself under arrest yesterday and last night after he honked and passed a police vehicle carrying his son from jail. The father, a resident of Kokhav HaShachar in Binyamin, was on his way to Be'er Sheva to bring his arrested son his tefillin for morning prayers, as he told Arutz-7 today.
On the way, the man noticed a police truck that he assumed - correctly, it turned out - was carrying his son from the Maasiyahu Prison Disengagement Wing in Ramle to the Be'er Sheva courthouse. The father honked and waved, and his daughter took pictures, and the car passed the truck. The truck later passed him, and again they waved and took pictures, and they switched off in this manner - at a speed of 90 kph - several more times.
Later, at a traffic jam at the entrance to Be'er Sheva, policemen passed among the cars until they found his, which was clearly identifiable by its orange ribbons in solidarity with Gush Katif, including one adorning an Israeli flag. The policemen told him that he was under arrest for "disrupting police officers in the line of duty," trying to slow down the truck "to the extent that it almost had to use its brakes," and the like. He was taken in handcuffs to a prison, where he spent the night; he was released this morning after signing a promise to show up for trial, if summoned, or else forfeit 1,500 shekels.
"The policemen were very rough," he said. "One of them told me that he sympathized with our cause - but in general, they have been well brainwashed. When they arrested me, one of them said to my daughter, 'Stop taking pictures or I'll break you and your camera.'"
Regarding his son, the man said, "He and a group of about 30 others are being told that they can be released if they agree to a form of house/school arrest for a long period. They don't agree, however - especially since they're not even being charged with blocking roads but only with an illegal demonstration - and so they're waiting for the appeal... They're spirits are high."
One of the arrestees was represented by none other than right-wing Kach activist Itamar Ben-Gvir. Ben-Gvir asked to represent him under a special regulation allowing non-lawyers to represent an accused. The Prosecution objected, citing Ben-Gvir's past, but he said that he had already represented defendants in court. In the end, the judge allowed the request - and later rejected the police request for extension of custody, ordering Ben-Gvir's "client" released.