MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni is demanding Deputy Internal Security
Minister Yaakov Edery order an investigation to try a group
of private security guards who ruthlessly beat
avreichim protesting grave desecration by the Trans-
Israel Highway Co. This is the second time in recent months
the police have promised to take strong measures against
violent guards but have failed to take any action.
During one of the demonstrations against the excavation of
gravesites along the route of the Trans-Israel Highway three
months ago security guards hired by a government company were
filmed using extreme force against demonstrators. Some of the
guards even used electric shockers despite instructions by
the police not to use them.
The footage drew furious reactions when it was shown and in a
meeting of the Internal Affairs Committee testimony the video
footage greatly embarrassed ranking police commanders in
attendance who had promised to arrest and try the guards.
Meanwhile Trans-Israel Highway Co. CEO Yehuda Cohen said ties
with the security company were severed immediately. A short
time later police located the violent security guard and
issued an indictment against him.
After firing the violent security guards the Trans-Israel
Highway Co. hired Aryeh Security to guard the excavation site
and to prevent demonstrators from stopping the grave
desecration but the violent clashes continued.
Declarations by police officials against the use of weapons
besides firearms proved empty when video footage taken at the
site less than four weeks ago shows private security
personnel continue to use excessive force against the
demonstrators. Shot near Kibbutz Regavim, the videos clearly
show the guards punching and kicking one of the demonstrators
and then covering his mouth until he passed out as one of the
guards says, "This will be the end of you."
The video also clearly shows Northern District Police
Officials standing off to the side watching and even
encouraging them to continue using brutality to handle the
situation. The orders were not given by the policemen
positioned at the scene but by the security company's
northern supervisor. In this incident three demonstrators
lost consciousness and suffered serious injuries.
The video, which was sent to MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni, clearly
shows the police commanders standing off to the side even
though they tried to placed the blame on the demonstrators.
When one commander arriving at the scene is informed that
three chareidi demonstrators had lost consciousness and that
the incident had been documented on film he tells the
supervisor to bandage his hand and claim the chareidim acted
violently toward the guards, forcing them to defend
themselves. The supervisor accepts his advice, yet later is
seen continuing to throw punches—even with the bandaged
hand.
A short time later four beefy guards are shown dragging away
one of the demonstrators when the supervisor approaches and
without warning begins beating him ruthlessly.
On the video one of the police commanders who told the
Internal Affairs Committee he was totally unaware of the
presence of electric shockers at the previous demonstration
can be heard speaking openly about them.
Later segments of the video show shocking scenes of
demonstrators having their hair, beards, and payos
pulled roughly, getting kicked and hit with billy clubs and
having rocks hurled at them. Some had to undergo medical
treatment and others were subject to degrading
interrogations.
In response to a recent question before the Knesset, Deputy
Internal Security Minister Edery told Rabbi Gafni that the
directives are unambiguous and such conduct is clearly
prohibited. "In every such case notify me and we will take
care of it heavy-handedly," he said. Shortly thereafter Rabbi
Gafni sent a copy of the video to his office asking Deputy
Minister Edery to handle the incident immediately and to try
the security guards for their illegal, inhuman treatment of
the chareidi demonstrators.
