Ahuvia Sandak, z”l
See here for a list of posts connected to the case.
Saturday, January 2, 2021, 23:58 After Shabbat, over 3,000 people from all parts of Israel carried signs with Ahuvia’s photograph and protested opposite the Police Investigation Unit Headquarters in Har Hotzvim, Jerusalem, calling for the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police to be closed and for the circumstances of the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l, not to be covered up. Rabbi Dov Lior opened the protest with a speech. Rabbi David Fendel, the head of Yeshivat Hesder Sederot, also spoke, directing his words at the police:
“Even an unintentional murder is called a murder. Take responsibility for this murder. What organization in this country investigates itself? Where have we seen policemen investigating policemen? No organization in the world investigates itself. We call for the closing of the Central Unit of Yehuda and Shomron Police. An abomination came from your midst. First of all, stop. And then investigate how this unnecessary death happened. We want unity and connections between people. I am from the south and I feel connected to the central region of Israel and the heart of the Land. People are sending blessings and love from the Shomron. You are our messengers.”
Crowds of protesters arrived throughout the evening and the organized protest ended shortly after 22:00.
We are all brothers
Avraham Sandak, Ahuvia’s father, spoke at the close of the protest:
(The link is to a YouTube video in Hebrew only.)
“We, Avraham and Ayelet Sandak, are the parents of Ahuvia, a sweet, sweet youth, with a big smile and gigantic dreams – a shepherd in the Binyamin region of the Land of Israel, who ardently studied Torah. A handsome youth, special, creative and goodhearted. He lived on a hilltop, Ma’oz Esther, which he built with his friends. He cherished, cultivated, and loved the Land. Ahuvia who wanted to marry Shalhevet.
“We lost our Ahuvia because of baseless hate directed at the hilltop youth, who are settling the Land of Israel and who love every clump of earth. Settlement has always determined the borders of our Land. The youths know what we have forgotten.
“The leaders of the State are the ones who sent policemen and detectives from the Central Unit of Yehuda and Shomron Police, with its huge budget and cruel policing methods which sometimes violate the law, to fight these wonderful youths. The pain and destruction they [the policemen] caused, quite often, did not dampen the youths’ spirits, but did bring about Ahuvia’s death.
“Here, on this stage, Ayelet and I call on the leaders of the State to appoint an external committee of inquiry that will thoroughly investigate the truth, what happened there, during the tragic chase, a committee that will gather the video recordings from the security cameras and from the policemen’s cameras, and bring the truth to light, and bring justice to the world.
“We demand explanations: Why have we not been officially informed of the death of our son, why did he lie on the ground for hours without being evacuated, why were his friends from Ma’oz [Esther] detained for so many days? An abomination has occurred in Israel. We demand rectification.
“The police must not investigate themselves. The Juvenile Division and not the Serious Crimes Unit must handle the youth. Therefore we call for the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police to be closed, so that incidents such as this are not repeated, so that policemen will not make their own laws.
“If the damage was done out of baseless hate and low morale, we call on everyone to increase unconditional love towards all Am Yisrael, all of the factions and tribes, to build the Land and to study Torah, so that G-d’s name will be sanctified.
“We thank everyone who has consoled, supported, and encouraged us during these difficult days. We thank all of the protesters for their determination.
“With the rebuilding of Jerusalem we will be consoled.”
Ahuvia Sandak’s fiancee, Shalhevet Goldstein, was assaulted by policemen at the protest in Jerusalem and several protesters were injured.
Approximately 25 protesters have been detained in Jerusalem. Some of them have reported police brutality. Honenu Attorney Nati Rom is assisted the detainees at the police station.