Honenu Attorneys Rom and Keidar; Photo credit: Honenu
Monday, August 14, 2023, 9:30 Following the extension of Yehiel Indor’s remand by the Magistrates Court on Friday, a hearing appealing the decision will take place at the District Court today (Monday) at 11:30. Indor was seriously injured in an attack by dozens of rioting Arabs near Oz Tzion, and has been accused of involvement in the death of one of the Arab attackers. Yesterday, he was transferred from Sha’arei Tzedek Hospital, where he had been hospitalized since the attack, to the Prison Service. Honenu Attorneys Nati Rom and Adi Keidar will demand his immediate release at the hearing. Indor is expected to make his first appearance in court.
The seriously injured victim; Photo credit: Free use
The appeal states that Indor does not have a criminal record and that the Magistrates Court had already conditionally released him. However, the District Court decided to delay the release in order to examine the investigative material they received after the hearing. In addition, none of the courts that have held hearings for Indor have rejected his claim of self-defense. Likewise, on Friday, the police dropped the charges of racially and nationalistically motivated murder. Lesser charges remain standing.
The appeal cites the urgent request filed by Honenu for a reexamination of Indor’s remand conditions. The request was rejected without the court verifying his medical condition: “[The detainee] experienced severe trauma and underwent complex neurosurgery. The court erroneously ignored the severity of his medical condition and rejected the request out of hand.”
The appeal adds that Indor was not on the scene at the beginning of the attack near Oz Tzion and that he arrived later in response to a call for assistance from his friends whose lives were threatened by a rioting Arab mob. The attack occurred at night, and Indor was the only armed person at the scene. He opened fire to defend his life and that of his friends. Therefore his claim of self-defense should be accepted. Additionally, the appeal cites that despite Indor’s neurosurgery, he fully cooperated with the investigators who interrogated him at the hospital.
Honenu Attorney Adi Keidar stated, “We filed an appeal against the court decision to extend Yehiel Indor’s remand and also against the decision not to reexamine his remand conditions. We will demand his full release based on the evidence that indicates that he acted in self-defense and certainly because of his medical condition. Remand in the detention center endangers his life and is not necessary as he does not pose any danger to the public in his current medical condition.”
Background
On Friday, August 4, shortly before the onset of Shabbat, near Oz Tzion in the Binyamin region, dozens of Arab rioters attacked a Jewish shepherd and local Jewish residents who came to his assistance. The incident began when the Jewish shepherd left Oz Tzion to graze his flock in the area between Oz Tzion and the nearby Arab town of Burqa. Several Arabs approached and threatened him. The shepherd, who felt that he was in danger, summoned other Oz Tzion residents who came to stay with him and prevent the situation from deteriorating.
Dozens of Arabs armed with clubs, fireworks, and large rocks surrounded the Oz Tzion residents. The Arabs launched fireworks directly at the residents and hurled the rocks at them from point-blank range, endangering their lives. The residents called the army and civilian security forces for help. One resident (Yehiel Indor) was hit in the head with a rock and seriously injured. With his remaining strength, he opened fire with his legally-owned personal weapon to defend his life. Several other residents were slightly injured. According to media reports, one of the Arab rioters was killed. Elisha Yered, who transported Indor to an ambulance, and Indor were detained.