Officer who strangled settler gets community service
Police Investigation Unit strikes plea bargain with Border Guard officer who was photographed choking a Gush Katif resident during rally against Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in 2005; plaintiff's rep calls deal 'bewildering'
The Justice Ministry's Police Investigation Unit struck a plea bargain with Border Guard officer Yaniv Reuveni, who was charged with assaulting a Gush Katif resident during Israel's unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip a few years ago.
According to the agreement, Reuveni will not be convicted and instead perform community service. The officer will pay the plaintiff, Elad Cohen, NIS 8,000 (about $2,000) as compensation.
Just a few weeks ago President Shimon Peres ordered legal officials to expunge the criminal record of Israelis detained for disruptive protests during the Gaza pullout.
The President's Office said Peres "received a recommendation to comply with the request to expunge the criminal record of law abiding citizens, with only a single offense on record, instigated as an act of protest over the Disengagement, and whose offenses neither harmed or risked human life and were not committed under aggravating circumstances."
Reuveni was photographed strangling Cohen during a rally at the Kissufim junction in July 2005, and was indicted for assault.
"During the protest the officer walked toward the plaintiff, held him by his neck using two hands, pressed his finger on his throat and choked him – and all this without any provocation by the plaintiff. As a result of the defendant's actions, the plaintiff suffered sever pain in his throat and even lost his breath for several seconds," the indictment read.
Attorney Shlomi Abramson, representing the Police Investigation Unit, told the court that the attack occurred under "the unique circumstances of the pullout from Gaza," adding that the protestors greatly outnumbered the security forces.
The attorney mentioned that similar cases against other officers had also been closed, as were "legal proceedings against (protestors) who had assaulted officers during the pullout."
Reuveni admitted to the charges and expressed his regret. "I never meant to hurt anyone," he said.
The organization representing Cohen called the plea bargain was "bewildering", adding that any comparison between the anti-pullout protestors and the security forces who tried to contain them was "mistaken and unfounded."
Cohen plans to ask the court to reject the plea deal. "I feel as though the Police Investigation Unit wanted to close the case regardless of the events that transpired. What happened there (Kissufim rally) was a disgrace. All that is left for me to do is sue the officer in a civil court," said Cohen.
The Police Investigation Unit claimed that the plaintiff was informed of the plea bargain prior to the court hearing and did not object to it.
