Israeli police are being accused of accidental homicide after ramming into an Israeli vehicle they claim threw stones at Arabs near Kokhav Hashachar in Samaria on Monday. It should be noted that ramming a vehicle, even during a high-speed chase, is against police protocol.

After the car was rammed, it flipped over killing one passenger and injuring four others. The passenger who was killed was identified as16-year old Ahuvia Sandak. The driver and three passengers who were injured were hospitalized under police supervision. The Honenu NGO who is representing the victims said in a statement that the passengers were handcuffed before being taken to the hospital – which is also against police protocol.

A cover up?

Itamar Ben-Gvir, a lawyer with Honenu, argued that the chase was uncalled for as the officers involved allegedly knew the identities of all the passengers in the vehicle already. He called on the Knesset to hold an inquiry into the police’s conduct in Judea-Samaria.

Police were accused of hiding evidence after illegally closing off the scene of the accident to locals, journalists, and even Knesset Members who by law are meant to enjoy immunity from police intervention. MK Betzalel Smotrich finally succeeded in entering the scene of the crime after wrestling with a police officer at the perimeter as seen in the video below.

Demands for justice in Jerusalem

Many Israelis, particularly those from Judea and Samaria are fed up with what they see as an ongoing campaign of the Israeli police obsessively targeting teenagers from that region known as ‘Hilltop Youth’ on often trumped-up charges.

Ayala Ben-Gvir, Itaamar’s wife and prominent right-wing activist took to social media lamenting “years of abuse and mistreatment by Judea-Samaria cops of Jews with overly large yarmulkes.”
“But this is the least that should be done – immediately. After years of our tax money being spilled endlessly for a police station against Jews only, it needs to be closed down. This should have been done a long time ago. We should not have waited until now, with this moral demand.”
Ben-Gvir then called to “Close the station, break up the Shai Yamar (central unit). Put the cops involved in this death on trial, as well as their officers who sent a message that all methods of abuse are permitted when used against a Jew with a large kipa and thick side curls”
“We cannot let this story pass quietly. We just can’t” she concluded.

Sandak’s death may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back as hundreds of angry Israelis poured into the streets in an effort to block the road to the central police station in Jerusalem. The protest was peaceful as seen in the video below:

Sandak was born in Gush Katif before his family was expelled along with 8,000 other families in 2005. Ahuvia’s parents described him as an “amazing boy and an incredible man with a pure soul dedicated to sanctifying God’s name” reports 0404. They added that he was raised on the blessings of the Torah, love of the land of Israel, and of fellow man.

A volunteer for Israel365

Sandak also volunteered to plant trees for Israel365‘s tree-planting campaign and is featured in an event in February sponsored by Israel365 in the video below:

To continue Sandak’s legacy, Israel365 is now calling on its readers to plant a tree in Israel in his honor by clicking on the button below: