Police to Compensate Chareidi Couple Affected by Water Cannon With NIS 48,000

A chareidi couple, who were victims of a spraying incident from a water cannon in Yerushalayim several months ago, will receive a compensation of NIS 48,000 from the police after the Internal Affairs Investigations Department closed the case against the two suspects who employed the spray, Walla! News reported Sunday. The incident took place last October during the dispersal of a demonstration at the entrance to the capital. The incident was captured on video, showing the use of the water cannon by a police officer towards two chareidi passersby who were attempting to escape the crowd.

As a result of the direct impact, the woman was injured and fell to the ground. The couple, through their attorney Michael Litvak, filed a complaint with the Internal Affairs Investigations Department, alleging “breach of usage procedures and severe violation of human rights laws.” Following the dispersal of the protest and the publication of the documentation by the journalist Bar Shem Or, the decision was made to suspend the officer responsible for the use of the water cannon.

Several months after the incident, the couple was informed by the Internal Affairs Investigations Department that the case would be closed, as “the circumstances do not warrant prosecution, as it is an event that does not fit an appropriate criminal procedure.” The department further noted that “since the existing material in the case involves issues that fall within the jurisdiction of the Israel Police’s Department of Discipline, the case will be transferred for their examination.”

Simultaneously, the civil lawsuit filed by the couple against the police recently concluded with a settlement agreement, in which the couple will be compensated with a sum of NIS 48,000. Attorney Litvak stated, “I congratulate the parties on reaching a settlement agreement. The police acted severely when they harmed my clients, and they have been compensated. Unfortunately, the police did not take immediate responsibility, did not apologize to the couple, nor dismiss the officer involved, which led us to file a civil lawsuit. I am pleased that the prosecution has taken responsibility for the severe harm, reached a settlement, and provided significant compensation. I am dissatisfied with the case’s closure by the Internal Affairs Investigations Department, and an appeal will be filed soon. I call on anyone who has been harmed by the police not to give up and to file a civil lawsuit. Only in this way can we curb police violence.”

Shai Glick, CEO of Betzalmo, stated, “The Israel Police needs to understand that it is forbidden to harm the chareidi public. Unfortunately, we repeatedly witness cases of police aggression against innocent individuals, including adults and youth, solely because they are chareidim. This must stop, and if the Israel Police does not understand this through rational thinking and the instructions of the minister of public security, it will have to understand it through financial consequences.”