Following last week’s arrests of Bentzi Gupstein and others affiliated with the Lehava (להב”ה – למניעת התבוללות בארץ הקודש) (Preventing Assimilation in the Holy Land) organization, police on Sunday 29 Kislev announced the arrests of additional suspects on suspicion of incitement, racist based terrorism, assault and related charges.

Eight additional suspects have been taken into custody, including residents of Yerushalayim, Betar Illit, Netivot, Herzliya and Rishon L’Tzion. Four of the suspects were detained for questioning by Shai (Shomron-Yehuda) police and the others were arrested.

Honenu attorney Itamar Ben-Givir, who is representing the Lehava defendants, told the media “An investigation could have been conducted without making arrests. It has already been decided that liberty if the rule and arrests the exception, but for the National Crimes Unit in Shai Police, the impression is given that they are unfamiliar with this process and are just familiar with making arrests”.

“Even worse” continued Ben-Givir, “Police chose to ignore rulings of the court in recent days that include harsh criticism against them for repeatedly failing to understand calls against assimilation are not a violation of the law”.

Lehava head Bentzi Gupstein blames State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan for “continuing to battle with good Jews whose only sin is their battle against assimilation. I call on rabbonim to speak out against the arrests – today it is us and tomorrow perhaps it will be you”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)