A policeman prevents MK Smutrich from entering the scene of the accident in Samaria
MK Bezalel Smutrich (right), who arrived at the scene of the accident, described the incident as “difficult”, and called on the police to allow ZAK members to treat the body of the 19-year-old godfather. Waiting for a mobile forensic laboratory, justified in itself, but it is not possible that it takes so long and the dignity of the dead is harmed. ZAK members at the place want to take care of her body and are refused. I turned to the district commander demanding an expedited. I hope so. “
Elyashiv Avi Yonah, a resident of the area, agreed with Smutrich, saying: “A soldier told me that he was the one who discovered the hand of the dead boy, an hour and a quarter after the incident. His hand peeked under the inverted vehicle of the young men and none of the many policemen who were there, bothered to do a proper search. Not to mention that the mobile is the one that hit the boys’ car and caused them to overturn. There is a default here. ‘
MK Smutrich also lamented that the police prevented him from entering the accident area, despite his immunity as a Knesset member, and even deployed spikes under his car so as not to allow him to enter the scene of the incident. “I take the Israeli police’s attempt to prevent me from reaching very seriously. To the scene, to do my job as a Knesset member and make sure that the investigation is not covered up, “said Smutrich, adding,” As an MK I have immunity – the fact that a policeman puts thorns under a Knesset member’s car and when I get out of the car, he attacks me with force “And it is my duty, it is a shame and a disgrace to the Israeli police. This is our job and this is our public mission and the police must not try time and time again to prevent us from doing our job.”
Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin also joined in, saying: “I take very seriously the removal of MK Bezalel Smutrich by force from the scene of the serious accident in Samaria, by an Israeli police officer, while violating his immunity as a Member of Knesset, his freedom of movement and freedom of action.
“This is an event that severely impairs a Knesset member’s ability to fulfill his role for the public, something that must not be reconciled with in a democratic regime. Law enforcement agencies must act responsibly and resolutely, but this must be done while respecting the immunity of MKs and their ability as public representatives. “In this matter, I turned to Knesset Speaker Sagit Afik and Knesset Officer Yossi Griff, and instructed them to act with the police to ensure that a similar incident does not recur, and that it is ensured that the immunity of Knesset members is respected.”
“The pursuit of a Jewish boy should not end with a funeral”
Shlomo Ne’eman, head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council – where the locality of Bat Ayin where the godfather lived is, also attacked the police with harsh words and claimed that this was a case of excessive force. “Our unequivocal demand is to stop police violence immediately,” Ne’eman said, adding, “These boys are our children – period. Leave us the education and dealing with our children for better and for better.
“This is not an enemy who rose up to destroy the country or the terrorists who seek our lives. If only a small part of the enormous resources invested in the pursuit of the hill youth, had been invested in society and education, we would not have witnessed the terrible disaster that took place today.” Ne’eman further stressed that the pursuit of a Jewish boy should not end in a funeral.
As you may recall, in the afternoon, a godfather was overturned during a police chase that began after the vehicle he was traveling in escaped from a car in the area of the Mikhmesh junction. Four other young people, aged 18-17, were injured in the incident, two of them moderately and two lightly.
After the incident, the police reported that “Following a report received of stones being thrown from an Israeli vehicle at a Palestinian vehicle at the Mikhmas junction, a team of detectives who were nearby identified the vehicle that was throwing stones and ordered it to stop. The driver of the vehicle started driving wildly, despite the police ordering him to stop, and continued on the run with the detective vehicle following him. Near the Rimonim junction, the vehicle overturned. The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. ‘ In contrast, the Honnu organization claimed that “the rollover was caused as a result of the car hitting the vehicle in which the boys were traveling, and that some of the wounded were handcuffed before being evacuated.”