Israel Police Yassam unit officer Gal Segev and his subordinate, Refael Cohen, are ordered to make a NIS 4,000 compensatory payment to a right-wing protestor who the court ruled was hit by them, without justification.

Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court Justice David Mintz issued his ruling pertaining to a protest that was held on Highway 443, near Yishuv Hashmonaim, under the banner “continued settlement in Yosh”. According to the court case, protestor Nachum Greenblum was struck by Rafael Cohen, who is assigned to the police commando unit in the Shai District. Cohen’s superior officer, Gal Segev shouted at Greenblum, threatening to beat him to a pulp. The incident was captured on video and an official complaint was filed with the Justice Ministry’s police investigations unit, which recommended a criminal indictment against Cohen.

Simultaneously, a civil suit was filed against the policeman and his officer, filed with the Jerusalem court by attorney Benny Levine, who represents a Yosh human rights organization.

In its defense, the state maintained the victim did not suffer any damage and the case was just piggybacked to a number of cases filed by the human rights organization against police. The district attorney’s office referred to the videoed evidence as a trend, of trying to portray police in a poor light. The attorney general’s office also tried to reject the legitimacy of seeking a financial payment, stating it was not justifiable in such a case. The state also maintained that awarding a monetary settlement will encourage future incidents of increased provocation in the hope of compelling a policeman to “lose control” and act inappropriately with the goal of obtaining a monetary settlement.

Greenbaum in his response stated the state’s position may represent a new level of audacity towards supporting those who believe public servants are above criticism and their actions needn’t be justified to anyone, while the contrary should be true.

The court rejected the state’s case, ordering the policemen to make payment from their own funds to the defendant, now serving as an IDF soldier.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)