Monday, February 20, 2023, 15:19 On Monday, February 20, the Jerusalem Magistrates Court rejected the request by police for a five-day remand extension for a Yitzhar resident who was detained that morning. Represented by Honenu Attorney Moshe Poleski, the court ordered his immediate release on bail. Prior to the detention, the media had publicized a video recording in which the defendant was seen arguing with soldiers. At the hearing, it was revealed that the police had asked the Jerusalem Magistrates and District Courts to issue a detention warrant for the Yitzhar resident subsequent to the incident in which the resident was recorded arguing with soldiers. Both courts had refused the request.
Despite both Court’s adamant refusal, police officers took it upon themselves to arrive in Yitzhar before sunrise Monday morning. The police raided the home of a Yitzhar resident, detained him in front of his wife and children, and brought him handcuffed to a court hearing. Honenu Attorney Moshe Poleski, who is representing the Yitzhar resident, stated that “This was disgraceful and hurtful conduct on the part of the Yehuda and Shomron Police. The police had asked the Jerusalem Magistrates Court for a detention warrant for the Yitzhar resident and were refused. They then appealed to the Jerusalem District Court, which also rejected the request. The police obviously knew that they had no grounds for detaining the Yitzhar resident. Nonetheless, he was detained this morning and brought to court handcuffed. The court released him. This is a disgrace and an embarrassment. Instead of pursuing criminals, the Yehuda and Shomron Police are pursuing settlers.” Poleski continued, “The matter at hand is even more serious due to the fact that although the requests by the police for detention warrants had been denied by the courts, the police nevertheless detained the Yitzhar resident.”