Last update - 00:00 19/03/2008
Actress Orna Banai questioned for role in animal rights protest
By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent
Actress and famed Israeli TV personality Orna Banai was taken in for questioning on Wednesday by Ashkelon police under suspicion that she attacked a police officer.
Banai was called to the police station shortly after she had tried to force her way into the office of Ashkelon Mayor Roni Mahatzari to protest the mass euthanization of dogs by city veterinarian Dr. Yoav Tzadok.
Police released Banai during the interview.
Last week, the investigative reporting program "Kolbotek" aired an episode that reportedly showed Dr. Tzadok euthanizing a number of dogs found on city streets, in spite of the fact that they had owners and were wearing electronic identification tags.
The episode led to a storm of public outrage, in particular among Israeli animal rights organizations, who are furious that Tzadok has been allowed to keep his job as chief veterinarian for the city.
Ashkelon City Hall on Wednesday held a hearing on the issue, attended by officials from the veterinary services department of the Ministry of Agriculture. Animal rights activists protested outside the hearing, vowing they would continue to protest until Tzadok is fired.
Eti Altman, the founder of the "Let the animals live" animal rights group said that she, Banai, and a number of activists attempted to enter the mayor's office to present him with a letter of protest but were blocked by police. She said Banai then found a stairwell that led to the office and they managed to meet with the mayor who according to Altman, vowed to take care of the problem.
Altman added that after the meeting, they were questioned by police and released.
Hagi Ben Shalosh, the employee of the veterinary department of Ashkelon who broke the story to Kolbotek, said that shortly after the episode aired, he received notification that he had been fired.
Nonetheless, shortly after Haaretz questioned Ashkelon City Hall after their hearing Wednesday, Ashkelon Mayor Roni Mahatzari decided to cancel Ben Shalosh's termination.
Ashkelon City Hall has issued a statement to Haaretz in which they vowed to investigate the case fully and to treat the matter with the utmost severity.