(L to R) Avraham and Ayelet Sandak, MK Simha Rotman; Free use
Honenu is representing those who are insisting on the investigation of the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l, who was tragically killed in a police car chase on December 21, 2020, and defending the many who are being detained while demonstrating for change in police behavior. The car Ahuvia was in with four other boys overturned when the police car collided with it from behind. Please click here for a list of posts connected to the case.
Wednesday, November 10, 2021, 17:54 On Wednesday, November 10, Ahuvia Sandak’s family held a protest watch opposite the Knesset building and met with many Knesset members who came to support them. Knesset members from the coalition and the opposition listened to the family describing details of the incident and calling for the policemen involved with causing Ahuvia’s death to be put on trial. Honenu director Shmuel (Zangi) Meidad accompanied the family to support their fight.
Ahuvia’s father, Avraham Sandak, told the Knesset members that “the only time the police approached us was during the shiva, when they told us that we were summoned for investigation. From then until today, they have not contacted us at all. Now we have to turn to Knesset members. We see here a sort of closing of the ranks: The police aren’t giving us any information. The case is being transferred from the State Attorney to the Attorney General, and there hasn’t been any explanation for an entire year. We came to say that an encounter between a youth and the police should not end with a death.”
Former Minister of Public Security, MK Amir Ohana (Likud), said that he hopes that political considerations will not influence the decision to investigate the policemen: “We are waiting for justice. We are waiting for a genuine investigation. That is the duty of the state authorities. We hope very much that the decision will be purely according to justice and integrity and not political motives from either side. Only the search for truth is important to [Ahuvia’s] parents and to Am Yisrael.”
Knesset Member Yom Tov Kalfon (Yamina) stated that “almost a year ago, a Jewish boy was killed in Israel and none of us knows what happened there. Up until now, I have heard contradictory statements, and the police have not supplied information. It cannot be that after a year we do not know what happened. We call on the Minister of Public Security, Omer Bar-Lev, to act on the matter. It is of interest to all of us, and we need to protect human lives and monitor police activity with regard to human lives. These issues must not be left up in the air and in contradictory versions. We must work towards a genuine investigation.”
No’am Party Chairman, Knesset Member Avi Ma’oz (Religious Zionist): “Our task is to strive for truth and to understand what happened. The State of Israel must not whitewash the issue. The agenda which led to the statements by the Minister of Public Security is the essence of this government. It cannot be that the Minister [of Public Security] claims that there is no need to investigate an incident such as this.”
Additional Knesset Members from the Likud came to support the family, including Mai Golan, Eli Cohen and Miki Zohar, who told the parents that “in a democratic country, there must be complete transparency, which will bring a feeling of security to the government and to the Knesset, and certainly to the law enforcement authorities. This matter must be thoroughly examined as forthrightly as possible. I intend to ask the Police Commissioner to take on the matter and take care of it. The likelihood that a governmental investigative committee will be launched under the current government is not great at all. Apparently they are going to reject it.”
From the Shas party Knesset Members Moshe Arbel, Moshe Abutbul, and Ariel Busso came. MK Arbel said, “This case must resonate. The Israeli Police and the Police Investigation Unit must understand that the lack of investigations [exacerbates the situation]. After we remove all of the negative elements from the police, the police will be better, the country will be better and there will be justice. Our demand is that justice be done, and quickly.”
Knesset Member Michal Woldiger (Religious Zionist) leveled criticism at the police: “The police are defending themselves and are not revealing everything. Everything must be taken out into the sunlight that disinfects and not left in the dark. We will do everything so that that won’t happen.”
Knesset Member Itamar Ben Gvir (Religious Zionist), who recently participated in two protests, told Ahuvia’s parents that Minister of Public Security Omer Bar Lev made statements that free the police from responsibility for Ahuvia’s death: “The Israeli Police have something to hide. The time has come to reveal the truth about what happened there that day. All of the means they are using to disperse protests [calling for investigating the death of Ahuvia] indicate fear, that someone is interested in silencing and concealing. I am shocked by the Minister of Public Security, who has given a license to kill in his interviews. We are soldiers for the Sandak family in this justified fight.”
Knesset Member Simha Rotman (Religious Zionist) added, “The statement by the Minister of Public Security that Ahuvia is guilty of causing his own death and that the police acted properly is shocking and outrageous. I call on the family to be strong and to continue the fight. We will not stop until there is a thorough investigation of the incident. Jewish blood is not cheap!”