The ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) and police are continuing their investigations into the activities of the Lehava organization after some of its members were arrested earlier in the week. While most of the suspects have been released on bail, organization leader Bentzion Gupstein and some others were remanded for an additional day on Thursday, 26 Kislev. Apparently authorities in connection with that investigation raided the office of the Otzma Yehudit office on Wednesday night 25 Kislev and conducted a search.

Police confiscated documents and computers as well as phones and office equipment.

Otzma Yehudit officials feel that since police struck out in court against Lehava activists, it decided to raid their office in the hope of advancing their investigation as they seem to be determined to incriminate the organization.

On his Facebook page former MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari states “The raid by police on the Otzma Yehudit office represents the political police have lost it after police were dealt a blow by the court as one that fails to internalize we are a democratic nation. Now they want to get involved in elections. This is an outrage and it is characteristic of a totalitarian regimes but they will not break us and we are continuing”.

The prosecution filed an appeal on Wednesday regarding the incarceration of Lehava members taken into custody. Justice Ram Levinger was critical of police and discarded most of the evidence presented. The court stated working against assimilation is not a crime unless it leads to violence.

Regarding the prosecution’s six appeals, the court felt the evidence was marginal and therefore did not comply with the police request to extend the remand of most suspects while others were ordered held over for only one additional day.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)