Five Settlers Remanded Over Ransacking of IDF Outpost at Yitzhar
One of the detained men, Boaz Albert, is a well-known right-wing activist, previously jailed for breaching restraining order to stay out of West Bank.
The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court Thursday extended the remand of five Yitzhar residents suspected of participating in a raid that ransacked an Israel Defense Forces outpost at the West Bank settlement on Tuesday.
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The five include Boaz Albert, recently released from prison after refusing to honor a restraining order issued against him by the IDF’s GOC Central Command. Albert is considered the number one priority by the Shin Bet security service.
The other four were Avraham Binyamin, a journalist and former spokesperson for Yitzhar; Tzi Sukkot, leader of the Derech Chaim youth movement associated with Rabbi Yitzhak Ginsburg; Elkana Pikar; and Moshe Hass.
The police sought to extend their remand by a further 10 days, but the judge decided to extend their remand until the day before the Passover holiday (Sunday). The judge also released a Havat Gilad resident, as well as a minor from Yitzhar, after they presented alibis.
“The court released two of the seven that the police had arrested. This indicates that there is no direct connection between the arrested and those who carried out the deeds,” commented the defendants’ lawyer, Aharon Roza.