Three Israelis were arrested overnight Motzei Shabbos for firing flares at the private home of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Caesarea on Motzei Shabbos.

The three suspects are anti-government anarchists, including a senior IDF reserve officer who is one of the leaders of the protests against Netanyahu in Caesarea. Ynet reported that according to the investigation, the suspects launched the flares from dunes on the beach near Netanyahu’s home. The flares that were used are designed to be used by naval vessels as distress signals.

All three suspects were reportedly well-known anti-Netanyahu activists and will likely face multiple criminal charges, including arson. Israeli media reports said that the suspects were interrogated by the Shin Bet and were forbidden from meeting with their lawyers.

A joint statement from the Shin Bet and Israel Police on  Sunday morning said: “As part of the police and Shin Bet investigation into the firing of two flare bombs towards the Prime Minister’s residence in Caesarea, the following details have been permitted for publication: Last night, three suspects were arrested for involvement in the incident. The three have been transferred for a joint investigation by the Shin Bet and the police’s Lahav 433 unit. Additional details will be provided later according to the progress of the investigation.”

“The court has issued a gag order on the details of the investigation and the identities of the suspects for a period of 30 days in order to prevent obstruction or harm to the investigation.”

One of the flares landed on Netanyahu’s property and kindled a fire. Baruch Hashem, the Netanyahus were not home at the time of the incident and no one was injured.

A week ago, the Jerusalem Police arrested a suspect for firing flares at Netanyahu’s resident in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Magistrates’s Court extended the suspect’s arrest but a judge from the Jerusalem District Court ordered his release, saying: “It’s important to consider that the use of these means was done within the framework of a protest.”

Deputy Commissioner Asi Aharoni, head of the police spokesperson unit, told Reshet Bet: “This is a dangerous escalation. We see an increase in protests, whether it’s people coming with fuel containers in their bags and lighting bonfires – in Tel Aviv, a police officer was almost set on fire. We see flares and flare bombs. We allow freedom of protest but these are actions that must be condemned.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)